Sports
Volleyball Championships wrap in Kansas City
Men's Division I, National Champions, Marquette University
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Women's Division I, National Champions, University of Texas at Austin
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Men's Division I-AA, National Champions, Columbia University
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Men's Division II, National Champions, Dominican University
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Men's Division III, National Champions, University of Arizona "B"
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Women's Division II, National Champions, Miami University (Ohio) "B"
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Photos courtesy of: clubvolleyballphotos.com and David Dunham, University of California Davis.
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The 2005 Championships, April 14-16, saw a unique situation occur in the first round of the Men's Division I Gold Bracket. Only one other time in the 21-year history of the NIRSA Collegiate Volleyball Championships, has there been a men's Division I final with two teams east of the Continental Divide. Of the sixteen teams in the final, the eight western teams were paired against each other, as were the eight midwest/east teams, thereby eliminating half of each region. The quarter-finals pitted the four midwest teams against the four western teams, with all the midwestern teams prevailing, setting up a battle of the Cheese Heads for the National Championship. In the final match between the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and Marquette University, Marquette prevailed in two games, 28-26 and 25-20, to claim the Men's Division I National Championship.
In the Women's Division I, the University of Texas overcame their 12th seed to claim their third National Championship in six years. They defeated third-seeded Ohio State University, 25-28, 21-25, and 15-7, in the finals.
Other Divisional Champions included Columbia University, Men's Division I-AA; Dominican University, Men's Division II; University of Arizona "B," Men's Division III; and Miami University (OH) "B," Women's Division II. Visit the NIRSA Website for complete information on results, including All Tournament Team and Most Valuable Player selections as well as Coach of the Year and Team Sportsmanship Awards.
As usual, the slate of NIRSA members working the event outdid themselves, and helped to orchestrate a fantastic collegiate experience for over 230 men's and women's teams. Next year's event will be held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 13-15, 2006.
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