Nov. 30, 2008

2008 NCAA Volleyball Tournament Bracket

WASHINGTON - The bracket has been announced and American University has been chosen as a host for the first and second rounds of the 2008 NCAA Volleyball Championships, Dec. 5-6, at Bender Arena. The Eagles will face North Carolina on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. in the second of two regional semi-finals. No. 11 Oregon and Delaware will square off in the first match at 5 p.m. The winners of each match on Friday will meet Saturday at 6 p.m.

"We are looking forward to having an opportunity to play in front of our home crowd in the NCAA Tournament," Head Coach Barry Goldberg said. "We are also excited that American University and the volleyball community in Washington, D.C., will have a chance to see some of the best collegiate volleyball in the country."

American earned an automatic berth into the tournament with a 3-1 win over Colgate to claim its eight-consecutive Patriot League Tournament. AU posted a 24-8 overall record on the year and a 13-1 mark in conference play. The Eagles rank first in the NCAA in aces per set with an average of 2.23 and are ninth in hitting percentage at .289. This will be American's eighth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the program's 10th in 12 years.

The Eagles are led by three-time PL Player of the Year Rubena Sukaj, two-time PL Setter of the Year Christina Nash and two-time PL Defensive Player of the Year Ivana Cebakova. Sukaj set both the PL and American University career records for kills (2,079) and aces (293) this season and ranks 17th in the NCAA with a 4.33 kills per set average. Nash ranks third all-time at AU with 3,834 career assists and is fifth all-time in the PL. Cebakova has recorded 1,196 digs in her three years at American, putting her second all-time at AU, and this season ranks fourth in the country with an average of 0.64 aces per set.

All-session passes for Washington, D.C., regional will go on sale beginning Monday, Dec. 1, at 12 p.m. and can be purchased online by clicking here or over the phone by calling (202) 885-TIXX. All-session passes are priced at $15 for adults and $8 for youth (ages 3-17) and senior citizens. All-session passes purchased in advance can be picked up at the Bender Arena will call located in the Bender Arena lobby beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday.

Single-session tickets can be purchased beginning one hour prior to the first match of the day. Single-session tickets are priced at $9 for adults and $5 for youth (ages 3-17), senior citizens and students of all four participating schools with valid ID.