USF qualifies for NIVC for the first time in half a decade
USF volleyball qualified for the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) on Sunday for the first time in five seasons and fourth time in program history.
The Bulls (19-11, 13-6 AAC) made the 2018 NIVC and lost 3-2 to Georgia Tech in the first round under then-head coach Courtney Draper.
The Bulls’ postseason bid is the culmination of an impressive turnaround under coach Jolene Shepardson. Their 19 wins this season is the most since 2018 when they won 20 games.
The team won the American Athletic East Division championship outright last Wednesday with a 3-2 victory against Rice.
Related: USF volleyball secures American Athletic East Division Championship title
Originally known as the Women’s Invitational Volleyball Championship, the NIVC debuted in 1989 with 20 teams. It was developed due to the demand for another postseason opportunity in the sport besides the NCAA tournament.
The teams played in four five-team pools at one site. Each pool winner advanced to a single-elimination bracket. The event was renamed the NIVC in 1991. Since then, the tournament has expanded to 32 teams.
South Florida will travel to St. John’s University to face Mid-American East division champions Buffalo in the first round of this year’s tournament. The match is scheduled for this Friday at 4 p.m.
This is Buffalo‘s (23-8, 13-5 MAC) second consecutive and overall appearance in the NIVC. The team was swept by the eventual champion, Boston College, 3-0 in the first round of last year’s tournament.
Buffalo’s 23 wins this season are the most in program history since joining Division One in 1991. They also had a program record of five all-conference team honorees.
The rest of the bracket can be found here.
If USF wins on Friday, they will play the winner of the St. John’s/Howard match on Saturday at 5 p.m.
More Stories
The Oracle needs your help
Dear reader: Reporters for USF’s award-winning student newspaper, The Oracle, have recently navigated through a pandemic, a rapidly evolving political climate and a change in university president – all with the goal of sharing important news and stories. Though The Oracle has been an integral part in keeping the USF community informed since 1966, we […]
COLUMN: Cherish the press box moments
I still remember standing at mid-field as USF Football celebrated its Boca Raton Bowl win over Syracuse. Picture this scene: The crowd rushes to the field to surround the team and catch a glimpse of the Boca Raton Bowl trophy. “Go Bulls” echoed throughout the stadium, and green and gold confetti was everywhere. I soaked […]
Here’s how these undrafted USF football players’ careers turned out
Ahead of Thursday’s NFL Draft, many players wait in anticipation to hear their names called in the first round. For some, it’s an instant ticket to stardom. But being selected on the first day of the draft isn’t the only route to a successful career. Fifteen former undrafted NFL players are enshrined in the NFL […]
Column: USF men’s basketball, thanks for the fun season
This is a personal column about assistant sports editor Noah Vinsky’s first-hand experience covering men’s basketball. Sports have always run in my blood. Growing up, ESPN was nearly on a constant loop on my living room television. I came to USF knowing I wanted to be a writer. The Oracle seemed like a great place […]
USF’s Mindy McCord builds culture of “family and love” into lacrosse
At 23 years old, a career in coaching was not what Mindy McCord had envisioned. After a stint playing for one of the top field hockey teams in Australia following a successful college playing career, she returned to America. McCord was on track to earn a master’s degree in counseling at Virginia Tech while coaching […]
USF campus ministers offer perspective on stadium development: ‘Exciting benefit of exposure.’
Take a tranquil stroll down Sycamore Drive. It’s a quieter part of campus, hidden away from the usual hustle and bustle of USF. It’s home to an area colloquially known as “Religious Row,” a collection of on-campus religious organizations. In just a few years – with the construction of an on-campus football stadium – the […]