For the fourth consecutive time, the Hillsdale College volleyball team will be competing for a national title in the NCAA Division II tournament.
The Chargers will be traveling to Ferris State University for Regional Quarterfinal matches beginning on Dec. 2 or 3rd. As the top seed in the Midwest Region, Ferris St. has earned the right to host the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament, with seven other schools earning bids to compete for a regional crown.
Hillsdale will be the third seed in the bracket and take on sixth-seeded Grand Valley State (17-9) in a quarterfinal matchup to be determined later.
The Chargers have not only made the last four NCAA Tournaments, but five of the last six, and six of the Chargers' 12 NCAA Tournament appearances have come in the last decade. In Hillsdale's last appearance, in 2019, the Chargers reached the regional final round for just the third time in program history before falling to Rockhurst in the Sweet 16.
Hillsdale's lone regional title came in 2011, when the Chargers reached the Final Four before falling to Cal St. San Bernadino in a five-set thriller one step away from the National Championship game. To this day, it remains the only NCAA DII Final Four appearance by a Hillsdale team sport in school history.
The Chargers are hoping for another special run this season after going 27-4 entering the tournament, including a perfect 16-0 record in Great Midwest Athletic Conference play and a fifth straight G-MAC Tournament title.
Three of the Chargers' four losses came against NCAA Tournament qualifying teams, including the two teams ahead of Hillsdale in the regional rankings, host Ferris State and second-seeded Michigan Tech. The Chargers also lost to a team in the loaded Central Region, fourth-seeded Winona State.
Hillsdale does have several wins over NCAA Tournament qualifiers as well, including fourth-seeded Lewis and fifth seeded Missouri-St. Louis in the Midwest Region, as well as top-seeded American International in the East, top-seeded Lenoir Rhyne in the Southeast, and seventh-seeded Palm Beach Atlantic in the South Region.
The date and time for Hillsdale's NCAA quarterfinal match will be announced soon. Stay tuned to hillsdalechargers.com for more updates.
Photo by Anthony Lupi '22