SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Oklahoma City University will make its fourth appearance ever in the NAIA volleyball championships starting with an 9 a.m. CST match Nov. 27 vs. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) at the Tyson Events Center.
The Stars (31-3) will meet sixth-ranked Lindsey Wilson, 11th-ranked Eastern Oregon and 21st-ranked Central Methodist (Mo.) in pool play this week. The top two teams from the pool will advance to bracket play Friday and Saturday.
Oklahoma City's contest vs. Eastern Oregon will be noon Wednesday, Nov. 28 with the final pool-play match 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 29. All matches from the NAIA Championships will be broadcast live. ESPN3 will show the championship match 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1.
OCU will try to win the first national championship in program history. The Stars conquered Wiley (Texas) 25-20, 25-11, 22-25, 25-13 on Saturday in the NAIA Championship Opening Round at Abe Lemons Arena.
This year, OCU captured its third consecutive Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season championship and SAC Tournament crown with its fourth 30-win season ever. The Stars prevailed over 23rd-ranked Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) 29-27, 25-15, 19-25, 25-11 on Oct. 20 at Abe Lemons Arena in their only matchup with a top 25-ranked team this year. OCU is receiving votes.
Marijana Bjelobrk of the Stars became the SAC hitter of the year and SAC Tournament most valuable player. Bjelobrk, a junior from Belgrade, Serbia, ranks 28th in the NAIA with 3.78 kills per set and 40th with total kills (412) while recording 0.63 blocks and 0.21 aces a set this season.
OCU's Taylor Horton picked up first-team all-SAC, and Lacy Beeler, Lauren Hermes and Ella Lofton scooped up second-team all-conference.