The Trevecca Nazarene University volleyball team (15-6, 8-3 Great Midwest) knows two of the three teams they will play at the 15th Annual Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover, the nation's largest collegiate volleyball tournament later this week.
THE ESSENTIALS
The 2022 edition is set for Friday and Saturday on October 14-15 in the12-court Hammond (Ind.) Sportsplex & Community Center with 36 teams to compete. Each team will be guaranteed three matches and every session will utilize six courts at once. The field includes 12 Great Midwest Athletic Conference (Great Midwest) schools, 13 teams from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), and 10 teams from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) programs.
2022 Midwest Region Crossover
WHO DO THE TROJANS FACE
Trevecca's two opponents on Friday are Quincy University (16-1, 6-1 GLVC) at 2 PM and Wayne State University (12-7, 6-5 GLIAC) at 7 PM.
Saturday sees the Trojans playing in the seeded portion of the field. The seeded portion of the schedule on Saturday is to help determine who are the top teams in the region.
THE OPPONENTS
Quincy is in second place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference with a 6-1 conference record, just behind Missouri St. Louis, who is also competing in the tournament. Wayne State enters the tournament in sixth place in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a conference record of 6-5.
GREAT MIDWEST STANDINGS
Trevecca owns the fourth-best record in the Great Midwest and is second in the South Division. Ashland has the top record in the league (11-0) and leads the South Division. Findlay leads the North (10-1) and Hillsdale (9-2) is second in the North and third overall. That is exactly what the preseason coaches' poll predicted.
TEAM RANKS
The Trojans are the fourth-best hitting team in the G-MAC, hitting .219 on the season, and are atop the conference in service aces with 146.
TROJAN RANKINGS
Ellie Buffler is second in the conference with 245 kills and leads the conference and is second in NCAA Division II with 49 service aces. The 49 aces equal her total all of last year, which also led the league. Buffler is also second in the conference in points with 305. Emilee McDonald is fourth in the conference in assists with 654. Sami Raley is ninth in the conference in hitting percentage at .295. Emma Titus is also ninth in the conference with 171 kills.
LAST YEAR / THIS YEAR
The Trojans had a breakthrough year last season as they went 19-11 overall and 9-7 in the Great Midwest before making it to the Great Midwest Semifinal for the first time since 2015. A great start to 2021 and the schools best showing at the Crossover (2-1) were predictors of the turn in the program during the coach Emily Moore Era on the Hill. Trevecca defeated Southern Indiana and UINDY last year. This season, the Trojans are surpassing last year's pace, tallying a record of 15-6 overall and are 8-3 in the conference. TNU is undefeated at Trojan Fieldhouse, going 10-0 so far this season.
The Midwest Region Crossover, created in 2008, is a tournament between the GLVC and GLIAC teams. The G-MAC joined the historic volleyball event in 2015. Aside from the great opportunity for teams to play programs from across the region, the event plays a significant role in determining at-large bids to the NCAA Division II Region Tournament.
THE SERIES
The Trojans are looking for their first win over Quincy University, the Hawks are 2-0 vs the Trojans. The last meeting was a 3-0 Hawk win on October 14, 2018, at Trojan Fieldhouse.
Wayne State and Trevecca are facing off for the first time in volleyball.
UP NEXT
Trevecca returns to the Trojan Fieldhouse on October 21st when they host Ashland University (16-5, 11-0 Great Midwest) at 6:00 PM. The team welcomes Tiffin University (9-12, 4-7 Great Midwest the following day at 1 PM.
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