Winthrop Draws East Carolina In Opening Round Of NIVC Tournament
By Winthrop Athletics
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Winthrop volleyball will travel to East Carolina University on Thursday, Dec. 5 to take on the host Pirates at 6 p.m. in the first round of the 2024 National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC). This will be the 19th meeting between Winthrop and East Carolina.
This will be the Eagles second consecutive trip to this tournament. The NIVC Tournament was re-established in 2017 (it was previously held from 1989-95).
The Eagles (16-10, 12-2) earned an automatic bid to the tournament after finishing runner-up in the Big South Tournament in a five-set thriller vs. High Point on their home court in the title match.
Before Winthrop's match with East Carolina, Connecticut will face Mercer at 3 p.m. In the event of an Eagle victory, Winthrop will face the winner of the Connecticut/Mercer match the next day at 6 p.m. Check back for more updates on match times and ticket information.
The National Invitational Volleyball Championship involves 29 of the nation's top women's Division I Volleyball teams. All games, including the semifinals and championship, are hosted by participating schools. Every round is single elimination.
The bracket launches with eight host schools, with action set to begin on Wednesday, Dec. 4. The championship match is slated for Dec. 15, 16, 17 or 18 – all matches are held on campus locations. A total of 11 programs won or had a share of their regular season conference championship, and 14 teams in the 32-team field won at least 20 matches this season.
Eight teams host Rounds 1 & 2 in 4 to 5 team pods; single matches in Rounds 3-5. The championship game will be streamed by the host school. For more information, visit
www.womensnivc.com.