MACU volleyball earns at-large bid to NCCAA national tournament

MACU Athletics
Adam Stanek

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) announced its 2024 Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship field on Monday morning and for the sixth consecutive season, the MACU Volleyball team will compete for the national title.

The Evangels were one of three at-large selections that will join the five Regional winners competing the eight-team tournament taking place inside Keeter Gymnasium in Point Lookout, Missouri from Dec. 4-7.

MACU enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed after completing the season with a 20-12 overall record and were runners-up in the NCCAA Central Region Tournament after dropping a five-set heartbreaker to College of the Ozarks in the championship match on Nov. 20.

The Evangels have put together sustained success under fifth-year head coach Holly McKamie, who has led the team to its fourth-straight 20-win seasons and have won at least 19 matches in each of her seasons at the helm. MACU wrapped up the regular season in a tie for third in the Sooner Athletic Conference standings by going 15-7 in conference play.

Despite the loss inside Keeter Gymnasium to the Bobcats on Nov. 20, the Evangels are no strangers to the venue as MACU has already played seven matches there this season, going 5-2 in those seven contests.

Under McKamie, the Evangels have also had experienced success in the NCCAA National Championships the last three seasons, making it to the Championship match twice (2021, 23) and the semifinal round in 2022.

The Evangels will be the first team to open the tournament on Dec. 4 as MACU will take on No. 5 seed Bethel (Ind.) with a 9 a.m. first serve. Mid-America Christian will close out pool play on Dec. 5 with a 9 a.m. match against No. 8 seed Carolina (N.C.) before taking on top-seeded Carolina International (S.C.) at 1:30 p.m.

If MACU makes it out of pool play, the semifinal round would take place at Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. or 6 p.m. while the Championship match would be Dec. 7 at noon.

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