Region Performance Breakdown (PDF)
INDIANAPOLIS – In the final batch of the NCAA regional rankings, Carson-Newman dropped from seventh, which it had been in the first two batches, to eighth released by the organization on Wednesday.
The top eight teams make the NCAA Division II Playoffs with an automatic qualifier coming from the South Atlantic Conference, the Peach Belt Conference and Conference Carolinas. The No. 1 team in the region will host the eight teams for three straight days from Dec. 2-4. The winner of the region will advance to the NCAA National Championships from Dec. 9-11 in Tampa, Fla.
With the release, the Eagles are in a tough spot trying to qualify for the postseason as Conference Carolinas does not have a team that ranks in the top eight with Francis Marion sitting in 10th. Therefore C-N would be bumped to make room for the automatic qualifier.
Despite holding the head-to-head win over Augusta, the Jaguars have displaced the Eagles for the No. 7 position. The Orange and Blue have dropped three of the last four and four of the last seven and have no more matches on the schedule after being bounced by Lenoir-Rhyne on Tuesday. Augusta is second in the Peach Belt and is hosting the conference tournament getting a bye before playing the winner of USC Aiken and Young Harris on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Despite holding one of the toughest strengths of schedule in the region, the Eagles saw their RPI, a formula to evaluate overall performance, dip to 10th in the region while Augusta's rose to sixth. C-N is 6-4 in the last 10 and 7-6 against in-region non-conference teams while the Jaguars are 7-3 and 13-5.
Each unit has four wins against regionally-ranked teams but coach Ashley Tiernan's team finished the year 11-7 after being a .500 club in September. The Eagles seemingly played in the tougher conference as each of the first four clubs and six of the top eight were from the SAC while Flagler, sitting in fifth, was the lone team from the Peach Belt in the top seven up until this week.
The official NCAA selection show is scheduled to air Monday night, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m. on ncaa.com where the 64 teams from Division II will be announced for the 2021 NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championships.
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