KU Headed to Los Angeles For NCAA Tournament

Nov. 27, 2005

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

The University of Kansas volleyball team earned its third-straight NCAA Tournament bid Sunday and will face UCLA (18-10) in first round action at 10 p.m. Friday (Dec. 2) at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. The Jayhawks (15-14) are one of seven teams from the Big 12 Conference to receive bids in 2005.

Should the Jayhawks advance, KU will play the winner of the Long Beach State (25-6)/San Diego (22-5) match in the second round of play Saturday at 9 p.m. (all times Central).

The 16th-seeded Bruins, ranked 16th in the most recent CSTV/AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll, are participating in their 24th NCAA Championship. UCLA has won three NCAA titles (1984, 1990, 1991) and six total National Championships in women’s volleyball.

“We are still adjusting our personnel to accommodate injuries, but really looking forward to extending our season at least another week,” Kansas head coach Ray Bechard said. “We are very excited for our seniors especially, who have worked so hard for this third straight bid. It is exciting to not have our season end with a disappointing loss, but instead have the opportunity of postseason play.”

Friday’s meeting will be the first ever between Kansas and UCLA in volleyball.

Kansas finished the 2005 regular season 15-14 overall and 7-13 in the Big 12 for an eighth-place league finish. The Jayhawks join Big 12 foes Nebraska, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Texas, Missouri and Colorado in this year’s 64-team field. The Big 12 was the only conference to receive seven bids.

All-session tickets will be available at Pauley Pavilion on the day of the event. All-sessions passes will sell for $12 for adults and $8 for students and youth. Single-session tickets, which will only be sold on game-days, are available for $8 for adults and $5 for students and youth. All tickets are general admission.

Click here for a complete NCAA Volleyball tournament bracket.