The Malone University volleyball team will travel to Kissimmee, Florida this week to take part in the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) National Tournament.  The Pioneers, currently 29-11 overall, are seeded fourth among the tourney's 10-team field.  Malone earned an automatic bid to the national event after posting a five-set triumph over Geneva (PA) College in the NCCAA East Region Championship Game on October 29th, marking just the second NCCAA East Region Title in program history.

In addition to Malone, the national tournament field also consists of No. 1 seed California Baptist University, No. 2 seed Palm Beach Atlantic (FL) University, No. 3 seed Trinity Christian (IL) College, No. 5 seed Grace (IN) College, No. 6 seed Dallas Baptist (TX) University, No. 7 seed Asbury (KY) University, No. 8 seed Southwestern Assemblies of God (TX) University, No. 9 seed Colorado Christian University and No. 10 seed Southern Wesleyan (SC) University.

The teams will take part in pool play matches on Thursday and Friday.  The two squads with the best record from each of the five-team pools will then move on to Saturday's semifinal round.  The Championship Game is slated for 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Pool A includes Malone, California Baptist, Grace, Southwestern Assemblies of God and Colorado Christian.  Pool B is made up of Palm Beach Atlantic, Trinity Christian, Dallas Baptist, Asbury and Southern Wesleyan.

The Pioneers are slated to open the event on Thursday with a 10:00 a.m. contest against Southwestern Assemblies of God.  Malone will then wrap up the opening day of competition with a 2:00 p.m. match against Grace.  On Friday, the Pioneers will take on Colorado Christian at 12:00 p.m. before concluding pool play with a 4:00 p.m. contest against Cal Baptist.

Click here for a complete NCCAA National Tournament schedule:  http://www.thenccaa.org/womensvolleychamp.htm

2011 will mark Malone's seventh NCCAA National Tournament appearance.  The Pioneers' most recently competed in the NCCAA National Tournament in 2009 when they received an at-large bid and advanced to the semifinal round before falling to national runner-up Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

Live streaming video of all of the tournament matches will be provided free of charge. 

Click on the following link to watch Thursday's matches: http://www.gpsnonline.com/2011/11/27/womens-volleyball-national-tournament-begins-december-1st-court-1/

To watch Friday's contests, click here: http://www.gpsnonline.com/2011/11/27/womens-volleyball-national-tournament-begins-december-1st-court-2/