Nebraska Chosen to Host NCAA Volleyball Regional in Omaha

Lincoln -- The NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Committee announced Thursday (Feb. 3) that the University of Nebraska and Qwest Center OMAHA have been chosen as one four NCAA Regional sites for the 2005 season.

This is the second time that Nebraska has been selected to host a regional since the NCAA Volleyball committee moved to pre-determined sites in 2003. The other regional hosts include Penn State (Rec Hall), Stanford (Maples Pavilion) and Texas A&M (G. Rollie White Coliseum). The four-team regional will be held Dec. 8-9, 9-10 or 10-11, and ticket information will be announced at a later date.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring our regional championships to these four outstanding sites," said Julie Hermann, chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Committee. "Having the opportunity to pre-select our regionals has made these rounds of the championship stronger than ever and a better student-athlete experience. The volleyball committee felt this year's selections were very capable of building on this success and continuing to take it to the next level."

This will be the 13th time that the University of Nebraska has hosted an NCAA regional for volleyball, but the first time that Omaha has played host to an NCAA volleyball regional. The 15,500-seat Qwest Center, which opened in the fall of 2003, is located in downtown Omaha and is considered one of the top multi-purpose arenas in the Midwest. The Qwest Center will also play host to the 2006 NCAA Championships.

Nebraska Head Coach John Cook said the opportunity to host a regional in one of the county’s top new facilities, combined with Omaha’s tradition of hosting successful NCAA events, provides fans not only in Nebraska, but across the Midwest, an opportunity to see a national-caliber event.

"We are excited to have an opportunity to host an NCAA regional at the Qwest Center," Cook said. "Omaha is a great sports town, and this regional is an opportunity for fans from around the Midwest to see some of the best volleyball teams in the country compete for a spot in the national semifinals."

Cook said the support of Husker fans two years ago at the NCAA Regional in the NU Coliseum played a major role in Nebraska’s selection as one of four pre-determined host sites in 2005

"Our fans made a big impression on the NCAA committee by the way they came out to support college volleyball even after we lost to UCLA in the regional semifinals," Cook said. "We know we have the best volleyball fans in the country, and it is their loyal support that helped us bring this regional to Omaha."

Nebraska Athletic Director Steve Pederson said that the cooperation the athletic department received from Omaha’s Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority also played a major role in bringing the NCAA Regional to Omaha.

"We’re excited to partner with our friends at the Qwest Center to host another great event," Pederson said. "It is that spirit of cooperation that makes Nebraska such a special place."

The Qwest Center will also team with NU to host the Big 12 Wrestling Championships on March 5.

The 2005 NCAA Championship will be held in San Antonio, Texas, at the Alamodome on Dec. 15 and 17. The 2006 Championship will be held at the Qwest Center OMAHA on Dec. 14 and 16. The 2007 Championship will be held in Sacramento, Calif., at ARCO Arena on Dec. 13 and 15.