Region Performance Breakdown (PDF)
INDIANAPOLIS – In the final batch of region rankings before the official seeding is revealed on Sunday, Carson-Newman held steady at No. 3 in the Southeast Region released by the NCAA 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 Nov. 17-20. The winner of the region will advance to the NCAA National Championships from Dec. 1-3 in Royal Brougham Pavilion in Seattle, Wash.
There was nearly no changes to the list with the exception of UNC Pembroke and USC Aiken swapping positions at nine and 10. Three of the top four teams in the region remain from the SAC with No. 1 Wingate and No. 4 Anderson squaring off in one of the two semifinals on Friday.
Carson-Newman would get the winner of that match if the Eagles can beat Tusculum, who upset seventh-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne on Monday, for the third time this year. The Eagles saw their RPI rise to third in the region after it had been fourth holding on to a strong 9-1 record in the last 10 matches and 9-2 versus non-conference in-region foes.
Augusta continues to crash the SAC party sitting in second on the ledger with the Peach Belt Tournament starting on Thursday night on the Peach State. Lander, Flagler, Lenoir-Rhyne and Emmauel round out what would be the field if the season ended today.
The Eagles are looking for their ninth NCAA Tournament appearance and second under coach Ashley Tiernan. C-N is the only team in the region to win a pair of region championships since 2015 with USC Aiken, Flagler, Wingate and Augusta each getting one over that time.
The official NCAA selection show is scheduled to air Monday night, Nov. 13, at 10 p.m. on ncaa.com where the 64 teams from Division II will be announced for the 2022 NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championship. Full coverage will be available all on social platforms and cneagles.com.
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