K-State Volleyball Secures NCAA Tournament at-Large Bid,Faces San Diego in First Round
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the Kansas State Wildcats are heading back to the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament for the first time since 2021,earning an at-large bid announced Sunday night during the selection show on ESPN. This marks the program’s 19th tournament appearance overall and the first under the leadership of head coach Jason Mansfield.
Wildcats Draw Tough Matchup in Lincoln
K-State (23-9, 13-7 Big 12) will face West Coast Conference champion San Diego (24-7, 15-1 WCC) on Friday, December 5, at 4:30 p.m. CT.The opening-round contest will be held at John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Mansfield Praises team’s Resilience
“I’m really proud of this team and what they’ve accomplished this season,” said Mansfield. “Anytime you make the NCAA Tournament, it’s special. It’s something we’ve wanted for the last couple of years. But I think this team earned it, and the season we’ve had – with the wins we’ve had – kind of speaks for itself.”
The Wildcats boast an all-time record of 15-18 in NCAA Tournament play, having reached the Regional Semifinal (Sweet 16) on three occasions. This year’s first-round matchup will be a rematch of a 1997 second-round contest, though San Diego currently holds a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series, with their most recent meeting occurring in 2010.
Senior Class to Compete on National Stage
Mansfield expressed particular joy for his senior players, stating, “I’m really happy for the seniors that they get an chance to compete in this tournament, and we don’t need to go very far.A little bus trip over to Lincoln will be great. San Diego is a very good team that went undefeated in its conference and has a long tradition of winning. They’re used to being in the tournament, and they’ll be ready to compete.”
He further emphasized the strength of their conference preparation, adding, “We play in arguably the best conference in the country, and it’s prepared us to play in the tournament. We’re looking to make some noise and compete.”
Tournament Host Nebraska Remains undefeated
The Wildcats will be competing in the same regional as top overall seed Nebraska (30-0, 20-0 Big Ten), which will host Long Island (15-17, 10-4 NEC) in the following match on Friday, december 5, at 7 p.m. CT. The winners of the K-State-San Diego and Nebraska-long Island contests will face off on saturday, December 6, at 7 p.m. CT.
Tickets for the first and second-round matches in Lincoln will go on sale Sunday night at 7 p.m. CT via Huskers.com/Tickets. Fans can also catch the action live on ESPN+. The NCAA Championship will culminate at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on December 18 and 21.
NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST AND SECOND ROUND SCHEDULE
First Round – Friday, Dec. 5
- 4:30 p.m. – San Diego vs. Kansas State (ESPN+)
- 7 p.m. – Nebraska vs. Long Island (ESPN+)
or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the 4:30 p.m. match, but no sooner than 7 p.m.
Second Round – Saturday, Dec. 6
- 7 p.m. – First round Winners (ESPN+)
Fans can view the official 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship bracket here: Click here to see the official 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship bracket.
