Volleyball Opens NCAA Competition
December 05, 2003 | Volleyball
When the Wisconsin volleyball team takes to the court tonight against 22nd-ranked Arizona in the first round of the 2003 NCAA Championship, there will be a number of firsts. The Badgers (21-10) will face the Wildcats (17-14) for the first time in program history. It will also be Wisconsin's first time playing in College Station, Texas. Match time is at 5 p.m. in G. Rollie White Coliseum on the Texas A&M campus.
The Badgers are playing in their eighth consecutive and 12th overall NCAA tournament. Wisconsin is 19-11 in the tournament including a 1-1 record last season. In 2002, the UW defeated Alabama A&M in the first round before being upset by Miami (Fla.) in the second round.
The winner of the Wisconsin vs. Arizona match will take on the winner of the other first-round match between 16th-seeded Texas A&M (21-9) and Nicholls State (18-14) in the second round on Saturday at 7 p.m.
'This is a chance to go against a great team,' said Waite of the Wildcats. 'Arizona is an awesome team and they play in the Pac-10, which is very, very tough this year. They have Kim Glass, who has had an amazing career and she's only a sophomore. She's going to be a key to stop.'
The Badgers haven't competed on the road for the first round of the NCAA tournament since 1999, Waite's first year. That season, Wisconsin defeated Arizona State in the first round but fell at Brigham Young.
'It's kind of a nice, fresh start,' said Waite of the NCAA tournament. 'Because in Big Ten play, you know each other so well. You know their tendencies and you can stop them in those things and there's huge rivalries. This is something that's totally new and fresh so it's exciting for our team that they haven't seen.'
The Wildcats tied for fifth in the Pacific-10 Conference at 10-8. Sophomore Kim Glass, a 6-2 outside hitter, ranks among the top players in the nation with 5.62 kills per game. Glass is supported by a young but talented group of players. Arizona starts two freshmen, three sophomores and two juniors.
The Wildcats are competing in their 19th NCAA tournament including the last eight years in a row. In the last four years, Arizona has reached the 'Sweet Sixteen' of the tournament including three 'Elite Eight ' appearances.
