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INDIANAPOLIS — Loyola Marymount University women's volleyball's regular-season closing win over previously unbeaten and then top-ranked BYU was the resume booster the Lions needed to earn an at-large position in the 2018 Division I women's volleyball championship.
"We are extremely excited to continue competing together," said Head Coach
Aaron Mansfield. "We know how competitive every team is in the region and are excited to see how we match up."
The NCAA Division I women's volleyball committee announced the 64-team field that will compete on Sunday night, calling LMU's name as a part of the first and second round games played in Palo Alto, Calif. The 2018 NCAA Tournament will be the 14
thin program history, and first since the Sweet Sixteen run in 2015.
The Lions will play against Duke on Friday night in Maples Pavilion on the campus of Stanford University. LMU holds a 4-2 all-time record, and have won three-straight against the Blue Devils. Coach Mansfield led the Lions to a four-set win in Durham on Sept. 16, 2017. The program began the 2012, 2014, and 2015 NCAA Tournaments in the Stanford Regional and defeated the #6 Cardinal in 2015 to win the region. Stanford is the top seed in this year's field.
LMU and Duke will open the tournament on Friday, Nov. 30 at 4:30 p.m. The Stanford and Alabama State game will follow at 7 p.m., with the two winners advancing to face off in the second round on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Thirty-two conferences were awarded an automatic qualification, while the remaining 32 positions were filled with at-large selections to complete the bracket. The West Coast Conference has five teams selected into this year's field, the conference's most since 2012.
Coach Mansfield increased win totals in both overall record and conference play this season, in just his second year as head coach. The Lions won 16 games in 2017 in his first season, and have already secured 20 wins for the first time since that 2015 season. No coach in program history has led the Lions to the NCAA Tournament in their first two season before Mansfield.
