NCAA D2 Volleyball Bracket

Indianapolis, Ind.----For the fourth consecutive year and 12th time in the last 17 seasons, the Wingate University Bulldogs will host the NCAA Southeast Regional volleyball tournament in Cuddy Arena. Wingate earned the region's number one seed Monday night, when the NCAA announced the full Division II volleyball bracket. The defending region champs enter NCAA Tourney play riding a 27-match winning streak, compiling a 28-1 overall record including a perfect 18-0 mark in SAC play. The regionals will take place December 4-6 in Cuddy Arena.

Wingate is the number one seed, followed by Lenoir-Rhyne, Anderson and Carson-Newman. Flagler is the five seed, with Augusta, Lander and Emmanuel rounding out the regional. The Bulldogs will take on Emmanuel Thursday, Dec. 4 in in the regional quarterfinals, with the winner taking on the Flagler vs. Carson-Newman winner in Friday's semifinals. Lenoir-Rhyne will take on Lander, while Anderson will face Augusta. The winner of that contest will meet in the other Friday semifinal match. The region title match is set for Saturday, Dec. 6.

Wingate is making its league-best 21st appearance in the NCAA Tournament. This marks the 20th consecutive year the Bulldogs have earned a bid, another SAC record. Wingate is 31-20 in the NCAA Tournament, winning region titles in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2024. The 'Dogs have made seven trips to the NCAA National Quarterfinals, with the rest of the conference earning a combined three trips. This marks the fourth straight year the Bulldogs will host regionals. Wingate has won six of its seven titles as the regional hosts. The Bulldogs hosted every regional from 2008-2011, then hosted again in 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2019. Wingate earned hosting duties again in 2022, and again each of the next three years. The 'Dogs won three straight region titles starting in 2012. Wingate has played in the region title match 10 of the last 15 seasons. No other team in the region has earned hosting duties more than twice since the realignment in 2008.

The Bulldogs won the SAC regular season and tournament titles in 2025. Wingate has won 19 of the last 20 regular season SAC titles and 15 of the last 20 SAC Tourney championships, piling up 34 total league titles over the last two. The 'Dogs have gotten it done with a balanced attack, ranking second in the nation in assists per set, third in kills per set, fourth in hitting percentage and seventh in opponents' hitting percentage. This year was the 15th time since 2006 the 'Dogs won both SAC titles in the same season. The Bulldogs are 552-55 overall since the start of the 2007 season, going 330-20 in league play.

Wingate is one of the most balanced teams in all of NCAA D2 volleyball. The Bulldogs rank second in the nation in assists per set, third in digs per set and opponents' hitting percentage, fourth in kills per set and ninth in hitting percentage. The 'Dogs are the only team in the country ranked in the top 10 in hitting percentage and opponents' hitting percentage. Wingate is second in the nation in winning percentage, one of just three teams in D2 volleyball with one or zero losses. The 27-match winning streak for the 'Dogs is the second-longest in the nation.

The 'Dogs had five players earn All-SAC honors, including four first team honorees, led by 2024 and 2025 SAC Player of the Year Sydney Morland. The All-American is the only player in D1 or D2 volleyball that is averaging over three kills per set while hitting over .400, averaging 3.45 kills per set while hitting .414, ranking fifth nationally in hitting percentage while ranking second in the SAC in kills per set and blocks per set.

Maya Van Heyst is another first team selection, earning third team All-American honors in 2024. She leads the SAC and ranks 16th in the nation with 10.82 assists per set, adding 3.08 digs per set to go along with 159 kills, 33 aces and 27 blocks. The 2025 SAC Tourney MVP has notched 16 double-doubles and a triple-double this season. Emily Johnson is a three-time first team All-SAC and three-time All-Region honoree. The senior is third in the SAC and 16th in the nation with her .378 hitting percentage, notching 2.64 kill per set to go along with 84 digs, 74 blocks and 33 aces. Maddie Hoffman is the first team All-SAC libero, leading the SAC and ranking 30th nationally with 0.51 aces per set, while ranking second in the league and 23rd in the nation in digs per set. Gabby Saye is a second team all-conference selection, ranking second on the team with 2.67 kills per set while hitting .345, adding 61 blocks.

Rylee Tanner earned a spot on the All-SAC Freshman Team, collecting 275 digs on the year while adding 113 kills, 32 aces and 16 blocks. Alanna Vavao is averaging 2.24 kills per set on the year, while Abby Mas contributes 2.09 kills per set. Maggie Fillauer has piled up 291 digs on the season, while adding 21 aces, while Hailey Green has picked up 189 digs and 21 aces.

The winner of the NCAA Southeast Regional will advance to the NCAA National Quarterfinals. This year's quarterfinals, semifinals and championship match will be held in Sioux Falls, S.D. Dec. 11-13.

For more information on full game details, ticket information and coverage, be sure to check out wingatebulldogs.com throughout the week, and follow @WU_Bulldogs on Twitter/X along with @wingatebulldogs on Instagram.

NCAA Southeast Regional Volleyball Tournament
Wingate, N.C. (Cuddy Arena)

Thursday, Dec. 4
11 a.m. | #3 Anderson vs. #6 Augusta
1:30 p.m. | #2 Lenoir-Rhyne vs. #7 Lander
4 p.m. | #4 Carson-Newman vs. #5 Flagler
7 p.m. | #1 Wingate vs. #8 Emmanuel

Friday, Dec. 5
4 p.m. | AND-AUG Winner vs. LR-LU Winner
7 p.m. | CN-FC Winner vs. WU-EC Winner

Saturday, Dec. 6
4 p.m. | Region Championship Match

Wingate University
 
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