AASU Volleyball Earns NCAA At-Large Berth

SAVANNAH, Ga. - The Armstrong Atlantic State volleyball squad will defend its NCAA Southeast Region title after being awarded an at-large berth to the 2009 NCAA Division II Volleyball Championships, announced on Sunday evening by the NCAA.

The Pirates are the No. 3 seed, just as they were a season ago, and are one of two Peach Belt teams to make the field. PBC champion Flagler is the No. 2 seed and host Wingate is the top seed. The three-day regional begins on Friday, November 20, and lasts through Sunday, November 22, at Cuddy Arena in Wingate, N.C.

AASU will face No. 6 seed Lincoln Memorial in a first-round match on Friday at a time to be determined. Flagler will face No. 7 seed and Conference Carolinas champion Lees-McRae, while top seed and host Wingate will take on No. 8 seed Tusculum. Carson-Newman is the No. 4 seed and meets No. 5 seed Catawba to round out the first-round pairings.

This is the seventh NCAA Championships appearance for the Pirates, all coming in the last decade. Last season, the Pirates defeated Lander, Lincoln Memorial and Catawba en route to the program's - and the Peach Belt Conference's - first Elite Eight berth.