Volleyball Returns to Postseason Play

PHILADELPHIA -- For the first time in 15 years, the Temple volleyball team will play in the postseason. The Owls have accepted a bid to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).

THE DETAILS
> Temple will head to West Virginia to play Campbell in the first round on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
> A win would advance Temple to the second round, playing the winner of West Virginia and Maryland Eastern Shore, on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at West Virginia.

QUOTABLE - Senior Janine Simmons
> "It hit me today, when I realized that we were going to get a banner [in McGonigle Hall]. To have a visible, lasting impact on the program is just really great."
> "I've never been on a team that won anything, not even in high school, so to be a part of this team that made the postseason and to do it in our senior year and it means so much.
> "It really means a lot to us that we've had a part in elevating this program, and leaving it better than we found it."

QUOTABLE - Senior Izzy Rapacz
> "It's really great that we're leaving the program better than when we started, and I'm really excited that this class is leaving our mark on Temple Volleyball"
> "It's so exciting to play postseason. I'm really excited to get to play more games with these girls."

MOVING ON
> The third round of the tournament will run from December 1-3.
> Semifinals will take place from December 4-9.
> The Championship will be held on Tuesday, December 12 at 7:00 p.m. and will air on ESPN3.

OWLS IN THE POSTSEASON
> Temple has made four postseason appearances in program history.
> The Owls' last trip to the postseason, was its best, as the 2002 squad advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
> Temple also earned NCAA Tournament bids in 1997, 1998, and 1999.

ABOUT THE NIVC
> The NIVC has its roots in another NCAA Division I event that ran for several years before the turn of the century.
> The Women's Invitational Volleyball Championship debuted in 1989, with 20 teams, in response to demand for another postseason opportunity within the sport.
> The teams played at one site, in four five-team pools, with each pool winner advancing to a single-elimination bracket.
> After two years, the event was renamed the NIVC.
> Previous event champions were: Wisconsin (1989, 1995), Houston (1990), Kentucky (1991), Washington State (1992), LSU (1993), and Cal-State Northridge (1994).
> The new incarnation of the NIVC was announced at the AVCA Convention in December of 2016.

Volleyball Returns to Postseason Play

Players Mentioned

Izabella Rapacz

Janine Simmons

Temple University Athletics