UAlbany Volleyball to Play in Revitalized NIVC, Opens vs. Syracuse at Colgate

HAMILTON, N.Y. – The America East regular season champion UAlbany volleyball team will play its first postseason since 2011, accepting an automatic bid into the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).

The Great Danes will travel to Colgate University in Hamilton, New York to play Syracuse on Thursday, November 30th at 4:30 p.m. in the NIVC First Round.  The winner will take on the victor of Towson-Colgate in Hamilton on Friday, December 1st at 7 p.m.

The NIVC was revitalized this year after last being held in 1995.  The tournament ran previously from 1989 to 1995.  The NIVC has a 32-team field with first and second round matches being held at campus sites.

This is UAlbany’s first postseason appearance since 2011, when the Great Danes played in the NCAA Tournament, falling at Florida State.

UAlbany earned an automatic qualifier after being the regular season champion of the America East, finishing 11-14 overall and 11-1 in the league.  UAlbany fell in the America East semifinals to Stony Brook.

UAlbany last met Syracuse in 2014 in the Otto Invitational, with the Orange winning in three sets.  Syracuse went 20-13 this season, finishing tied for fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 12-8 league record.

Note: The NIVC Bracket has UAlbany and Syracuse playing Wednesday.  The match is confirmed for Thursday, as Colgate is holding a women’s basketball game at home on Wednesday.