GCU prepares for NCAA tournament debut

NCAA tournament \| Friday, Dec. 1 \| 8 p.m. \| Pullman, Wash. \| Bohler Gym

	GRAND CANYON LOPES (23-7, 13-3 WAC)	at	No. 10 WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS (24-7, 14-6 Pac-12)

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The Grand Canyon women's volleyball team received its first automatic bid to the NCAA tournament and was selected to travel to Pullman, Washington, along with No. 19 Dayton and Pepperdine. The Lopes will face No. 10 Washington State, the host and regional fourth seed, in a first-round match. Winners will advance to a Saturday second-round match in Pullman.

3 THINGS TO KNOW

GCU ranks 76th in the NCAA's most recent Ratings Percentage Index. The Lopes rank 16th in blocks per set (2.7) and 20th in aces per set (1.88) this season, with a hitting percentage of .276 (21st).
Sophomore outside hitter Tatum Parrott ranks sixth in points per set (5.47), seventh in kills per set (4.69), 15th in points (558) and 17th in kills (478).
Graduate setter Klaire Mitchell climbed to seventh nationally among active Division I setters for career assists (4,554) and is one of three active players in the nation with at least 4,500 career assists and 1,100 career digs in Division I action. Mitchell ranks 19th nationally in assists per set (10.67).

SCOUTING WASHINGTON STATE

The Lopes and Cougars have seen two common opponents this season. Both won in sweeps against UC Irvine, and both went five sets with Arizona, although Washington State won that match in Tucson while GCU lost it at home.
The experienced-laden Washington State team has eight fifth-year seniors or graduate students and boasts .286 hitting. Pac-12 blocks leader Magda Jehlarova, a 6-foot-3 fifth-year senior, ranks 11th nationally with .416 hitting.
Washington State enters the tournament after five consecutive Pac-12 victories, including top-25 home wins against USC and Arizona State.

LAST TIME OUT

GCU vs. Stephen F. Austin (WAC Tournament championship)

Mitchell, the Most Outstanding Player of the WAC Tournament, recorded 49 assists and a career-high 25 digs in the final match, giving her 116 assists (11.6 per set) and 40 digs during the tournament.
GCU outside hitters Tatum Parrott (sophomore) and Ashley Lifgren (senior) joined Mitchell on the all-tournament team by each recording double-doubles. Parrott swung for career highs of 30 kills and 32.5 points, in addition to 19 digs. Lifgren contributed 13 kills and 13 digs on the match. Parrott and Lifgren hit .357 and .215, respectively, during the tournament and averaged 6.2 and 2.8 kills per set.
The Lopes tied their single-match season high of 15 blocks, previously set in an October ivictory over Seattle U. Lifgren and junior middle blocker Trista Strasser led the way with six block assists apiece.

WHAT'S NEXT?

With a win, GCU would advance to the second round and face the victor of fifth-seed Dayton vs. Pepperdine on Saturday evening.

NCAA tournament | Friday, Dec. 1 | 8 p.m. | Pullman, Wash. | Bohler Gym

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3 THINGS TO KNOW

LAST TIME OUT

WHAT'S NEXT?

Players Mentioned

Ashley Lifgren

Klaire Mitchell

Tatum Parrott

Trista Strasser

Grand Canyon University Athletics