The Wisconsin volleyball team’s hopes of hosting first- and second-round matches in the NCAA tournament were dashed Sunday night when the 2003 pairings were announced. Despite setting a new Big Ten attendance record and finishing second in the country in that category, UW will be hitting the road to take on the Arizona Wildcats (17-14) Friday in College Station, Texas.
“I’m pretty disappointed. I think we’re a much better team than what they gave credit for,” senior co-captain Morgan Shields said. “Every match is going to be very tough, and we’re going to be practicing to go out there and kick some butt.”
Players, coaches and fans gathered in the McClain Center Auditorium to see the announcement, one that did not go as hoped, live.
“I sure would have loved to host,” head coach Pete Waite said. “Our fans are awesome; by setting the Big Ten attendance record I thought that might have meant something to the committee.”
If Wisconsin (21-0) is able to defeat Arizona in the first round, they would advance to take on the winner of host Texas A&M (21-9) and Nicholls State (18-14) Saturday. The Aggies earned the No. 16 seed in the tournament as well as the right to host first- and second-round matches.
“I’m surprised we’re going this far away,” Waite said. “I really thought they were trying to keep teams more in their region, so I thought we’d maybe go to another Big Ten school. A couple of years we hosted Michigan State here as one of the four teams, so to me there’s no rhyme or reason for where people are going for this one, or even for who’s hosting.”
Perhaps the biggest surprise was Big Ten rival Michigan State being selected to host. Despite an 11-9 conference finish, two matches behind Wisconsin in the Big Ten standings, the Spartans will play host to Missouri Friday in East Lansing. For a Badger team that will have to travel across the country to play its first-round match, that is tough to swallow.
“[It’s especially disappointing] because they’re pretty big rivals in the Big Ten,” Shields said. “We have much better attendance, we had a better team. Stuff like that is frustrating.”
Michigan State took the season series 2-0 from Wisconsin, but lost four of their last five matches to end the year.
Waite and the Badger coaching staff will now turn their attention to preparing for the Wildcats, who finished in a tie for fifth place in the Pacific-10 this season. They are ranked No. 21 in the latest USA Today/AVCA poll. Friday’s match will mark the first time in history the two schools have met.
“I’ve seen them on TV, I know their personnel,” Waite said. “Kim Glass is an unbelievable outside hitter, an All-American last year as a freshman, a 6-[foot]-3 outside hitter from Pennsylvania.”
The tournament appearance is the eighth consecutive for Wisconsin, who finished the regular season at 21-10. The 10 loses were the most in Waite’s five-year tenure. UW finished in sole possession of fourth place in the Big Ten, wrapping up the conference schedule with wins over Indiana and Purdue. The Badgers have yet to miss a tournament under Waite.
“We talked about being excited about the possibility of hosting, but really in my mind the chances were slim,” Waite said. “But then again, you get surprised when someone does get to host that surprises you as a coach.”
Southern California earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament after an undefeated 29-0 season. Hawaii (32-1), Florida (31-1), and Pepperdine (25-2) rounded out the top four seeds.
Overall, seven Big Ten teams earned NCAA bids. In addition to Wisconsin and Michigan State, Penn State, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan and Northwestern will all see postseason action.