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Women's Volleyball

UCO Denied National Tournament Bid

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Nov. 20) – Central Oklahoma was denied an at-large berth into the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship Monday night despite a 26-5 record and No. 18 national ranking.

The top eight teams from each of eight regions around the country make the 64-team field. The Bronchos were fifth in last week's Central Regional poll, but apparently a first-round MIAA Tournament loss was enough to drop UCO out of the final rankings.

"It's certainly a disappointing finish to our season," said head coach Edgar Miraku, who is 269-90 in his 12th year at the helm. "The girls worked extremely hard this season and we had a lot of success, but I guess it wasn't enough.

"We play in the toughest region in the country, so we know how tough it is to get in. I'm disappointed, but at the same time I'm really proud of our team and everything we accomplished this year."

The Central Region is easily the toughest in the country, with seven of the eight teams ranked in the top 20 nationally.

Concordia-St. Paul (28-2) is ranked No. 2 and will host the regional as the top seed, taking on eighth-seeded Oklahoma Baptist (22-8) in the first round. UCO swept the Bison during the regular season, but OBU made the tournament after earning an automatic berth by winning the Great American Conference Tournament.

Five teams from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference made the regional – CUSP, No. 3-ranked Wayne State, No. 6 St. Cloud State, No. 7 Southwest Minnesota and No. 15 Minnesota-Duluth, with Duluth -- which finished fifth in the regular season NSIC standings -- jumping from ninth to seventh in the final poll to bump the Bronchos out.

No. 13 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 16 Central Missouri qualified from the MIAA, with OBU the lone GAC entry among the three conferences that make up the Central Region. UCO finished runner-up in the MIAA behind the Jennies, who beat UNK for the conference tournament title.

Eight Champions from each of the eight-team regionals that will be held around the country advance to the Elite Eight, which is set for Dec. 7-9 in Moon Township, Pa.

All-American Jaedynn Evans was the lone senior for UCO this season, with the Bronchos set to return every other starter in 2024 in their bid to make a return to the national tournament.
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Players Mentioned

Jaedynn Evans

#6 Jaedynn Evans

DS/L
5' 7"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Jaedynn Evans

#6 Jaedynn Evans

5' 7"
Junior
DS/L
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