Northwest Mississippi Community College received the No. 9 seed in the 20-team NJCAA Division II Volleyball Championship and will meet No. 8 Gulf Coast State College in the opening round. The tournament is scheduled to begin Nov. 18 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Northwest coach Allison Burchyett said the top-10 seed was a significant achievement for the program’s first trip to the national tournament. Sophomore setter Dallas White said she was surprised by the ranking and noted that Northwest is the first Mississippi team to reach the event.
Gulf Coast State, from Florida, enters the tournament with a 23-8 record after receiving an at-large bid. Isabella Lopez led the Commodores with 357 kills and a .259 hitting percentage. Kennedy Connell added 269 kills, while six players recorded more than 100 kills.
Alexa Valentine led Gulf Coast State with more than 714 assists, and Stefany Ortiz had 394. Kamryn Garcia paced the team with 425 digs. Anna Csata and Hannah Ottley each recorded more than 65 blocks.
Burchyett said Northwest would review film and seek input from teams that have played Gulf Coast State. White said the Rangers planned to focus on defense, including closing open corners and strengthening their blocking.
If Northwest wins, it could face Kirkwood Community College, which was set to play the winner of the No. 16-versus-No. 17 matchup. Burchyett said the tournament offers the Rangers a chance to compete against top teams and represent Mississippi and the South.
