MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State University will serve as the proud host of the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the PE Gym on the campus of SMSU.
 
The eight-team region tournament will have four quarterfinal matches on Thursday, a pair of semifinal matches on Friday night, with the championship match set for Saturday afternoon.
 
Ticket prices for the tournament are $8 for adult general admission, $5 for student general admission, while children 5-and-under are free. All tickets will be sold at the door and are valid for the entire day. The first 200 SMSU students to Thursday's quarterfinal match will be FREE, courtesy of the SMSU Foundation Office.
 
For more information, go to official tournament website at SMSUmustangs.com/NCAAVB.
 
The winner of the tournament will advance to the Division II Elite Eight held on Dec. 7-9 in Pensacola, Florida, on the campus of the University of West Florida.
 
The tournament begins on Thursday at 12 p.m. with No. 2 seed Concordia-St. Paul facing No. 7 seed Central Oklahoma. At 2:30 p.m., No. 3 seed Nebraska-Kearney will battle No. 6 seed Missouri Western. The 5 p.m. match as No. 4 seed Northern State taking on No. 5 Minnesota Duluth, while the quarterfinals conclude at 7:30 p.m. with No. 1 seed Southwest Minnesota State facing No. 8 seed Arkansas Tech.
 
Southwest Minnesota State (28-3), ranked No. 2 in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll released on Monday, will be making its 14th straight NCAA tournament appearance and 15th overall in program history. SMSU last hosted the Central Region Tournament in 2010.
 
2017 NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament
Quarterfinals – Thursday, November 30
12 p.m. – Quarterfinal 1: No. 7 Central Oklahoma (29-5) vs. No. 2 Concordia St. Paul (28-3)
2:30 p.m. – Quarterfinal 2: No. 6 Missouri Western (24-10) vs. No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney (33-3)
5 p.m. – Quarterfinal 3: No. 5 Minnesota Duluth (24-6) vs. No. 4 Northern State (23-6)
7:30 p.m. – Quarterfinal 4: No. 8 Arkansas Tech (35-0) vs. No. 1 Southwest Minnesota State (28-3)
 
Semifinals – Friday, December 1
5 p.m. – Semifinal 1: Q1 winner vs. Q2 winner
7:30 p.m. – Semifinal 2: Q3 winner vs. Q4 winner
 
Championship – Saturday, December 2
3 p.m. – Semifinal 1 winner vs. Semifinal 2 winner


Team Quick Facts
No. 1 Southwest Minnesota State
Head Coach: Terry Culhane, 14th season Record at SMSU: 368-96
 
2017 Record: 28-3
2017 Conference Record/Finish: 17-3/2nd NSIC
AVCA National Ranking (Nov. 20): No. 2

Years in NCAA Tournament: 15
(2001-04-05-06-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17)
NCAA Tournament Record: 16-14
NCAA Region Championships: 1
Last NCAA Region Championships: 2014
 
No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul
Head Coach: Brady Starkey, 15th season Record at CSP: 493-49
 
2017 Record: 28-3
2017 Conference Record/Finish: 19-1/1st NSIC
 AVCA National Ranking (Nov. 20): No. 3

Years in NCAA Tournament: 15
(2003-04-05-06-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17)
NCAA Tournament Record: 61-6
NCAA Region Championships: 10
Last Region Championship: 2016
NCAA Championships: 8 (2007-08-09-10-11-12-13-16)
 
No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney
Head Coach: Rick Squiers, 19th season Record at UNK: 604-84
 
2017 Record: 33-3
2017 Conference Record/Finish: 16-2/1st MIAA
 AVCA National Ranking (Nov. 20): No. 6

Years in NCAA Tournament: 22
(1994-95-96-99-2000-01-02-03-04-05-06-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17)
NCAA Tournament Record: 27-21
NCAA Region Championships: 5
Last Region Championship: 2005
 
No. 4 Northern State
Head Coach: Brent Aldridge, 7th season Record at NSU: 137-65
 
2017 Record: 23-6
2017 Conference Record/Finish: 16-4/3rd NSIC
AVCA National Ranking (Nov. 20): No. 11
 
Years in NCAA Tournament: 2
(2013-17)
NCAA Tournament Record: 0-1

No. 5 Minnesota Duluth
Head Coach: Jim Boos, 16th season Record at UMD: 435-80
 
2017 Record: 23-5
2017 Conference Record/Finish: 24-6/3rd NSIC
AVCA National Ranking (Nov. 20): No. 7
 
Years in NCAA Tournament: 20
(1986-87-91-94-98-2002-03-04-05-06-07-08-09-10-11-12-13-14-16-17)
NCAA Tournament Record: 22-19
NCAA Region Championships: 2
Last Region Championship: 2006
 
No. 6 Missouri Western State
Head Coach: Marian Carbin, 5th season Record at MWSU: 100-58

2017 Record: 24-10
2017 Conference Record/Finish: 16-2/1st MIAA
AVCA National Ranking (Nov. 20): RV
 
Years in NCAA Tournament: 3
(1995-2000-17)
NCAA Tournament Record: 0-2

No. 7 Central Oklahoma
Head Coach: Edgar Miraku, 6th season Record at UCO: 155-47
 
2017 Record: 29-5
2017 Conference Record/Finish: 15-3/3rd MIAA
AVCA National Ranking (Nov. 20): No. 15
 
Years in NCAA Tournament: 6
(1994, 2002-05-07-15-17)
NCAA Tournament Record: 3-5
 
No. 8 Arkansas Tech
Head Coach: Kristy Bayer, 14th season Record at ATU: 365-132
 
2017 Record: 35-0
2017 Conference Record/Finish: 16-0/1st GAC
AVCA National Ranking (Nov. 20): No. 8
 
Years in NCAA Tournament: 5
(2000-11-13-14-17)
NCAA Tournament Record: 1-4