United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Volleyball - Bears Selected as #2 Seed in ECAC Tournament

NEW LONDON, CONN.--(11/5/07)--The Coast Guard Academy volleyball team has been selected as the No. 2 seed in the ECAC New England Division III Tournament and it will host seventh-seeded Western Connecticut State University (19-12) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in a first round game.

The Bears (21-6), who went to the NCAA Elite 8 last season, won the ECAC Championship in both 2002 and 2005 as Coast Guard made five straight trips to the ECAC Tournament from 2001-2005. The senior class has a four-year record of 101-17 for a .856 winning percentage.

Coast Guard is led by junior All-America Nicole Gurr, who leads the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) with 4.94 kills per game (430 kills) while senior Corinne McCormack is second in the conference with 4.05 kills per game, (340 kills).

The other first round games are eighth-seeded Plymouth State (20-11) at top-seeded Brandeis (25-10), sixth-seeded Smith (15-14) at third-seeded Colby Sawyer (26-7) and fifth-seeded and Little East regular season champion, Keene State (24-11) at fourth-seeded and Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) regular season champion, Johnson and Wales (28-11).

The winner of the Coast Guard/Western Connecticut first round match will take on the winner of the Smith/Colby-Sawyer match in the semifinals.

The semifinals and final will be at held at the highest remaining seed on Saturday November 10th.

2007 ECAC Division III New England Volleyball Tournament
FIRST ROUND--Wednesday, Nov. 7th

#8 Plymouth State at #1 Brandeis, 7 p.m.
#7 Western Connecticut at #2 Coast Guard, 7 p.m.
#6 Smith at #3 Colby-Sawyer, 7 p.m.
#5 Keene State at #4 Johnson & Wales, 7 p.m.

SEMIFINALS and CHAMPIONSHIP--Nov. 10th @ highest remaining seed

Semifinals
1/8 winner vs. 4/5 winner
2/7 winner vs. 3/6 winner

Championship Match
(semifinal winners)