NCAA volleyball returns to Kansas. It’s KU’s Jayhawks vs. High Point on Thursday
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas hosts NCAA first-round match vs. High Point after fifth straight tournament.
- KU earned a No.4 seed in the Nebraska quadrant and will host at Horejsi Arena.
- High Point enters as Big South champion and seeks first meeting with KU.
The University of Kansas volleyball team has qualified for the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament for the fifth consecutive season.
KU, which finished the regular season with a 22-10 record and 13-5 mark in Big 12 Conference play, on Selection Sunday was granted a No. 4 seed in the Nebraska quadrant of the 64-team bracket.
The Jayhawks were awarded a hosting assignment for the third straight postseason and will face High Point University (18-9) at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in a first-round match at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena. It will be streamed on ESPN+.
Tulsa (25-6) and No. 5 seed Miami (Fla., 26-5) will meet at 4 p.m. Thursday in a first-round match, also at Horejsi. The winner will play the KU-High Point winner in a round-of-32 match at 6 p.m. Friday at Horejsi. Teams in the top of the Nebraska quadrant bracket are Nebraska, Long Island, Kansas State and San Diego.
If KU wins its first two matches, the Jayhawks would meet overall No. 1 seed Nebraska in the Sweet 16, provided the Huskers defeat Long Island in the first round and the winner of K-State/San Diego in the round of 32.
“It’s a great accomplishment for this group,” first-year KU coach Matt Ulmer said Sunday. “Kansas has hosted the last two years and we’re thrilled to be here again.
“We have the best fans and it’s such an amazing environment. It’s been a huge advantage for us. We love playing here, so any chance we get to add another match in Horejsi, we’ll take it. I’m really excited for our team and for our fans.”
The Jayhawks placed second in the Big 12 standings behind Arizona State. KU was fifth in the conference in kills per set (13.43), assists per set (12.45) and hitting percentage (.243), while ranking fourth in blocks per set (2.48) and sixth in digs per set (14.49).
The Jayhawks held opponents to a .174 hitting percentage, the second-best mark in the Big 12 and 23rd nationally. Kansas led the conference in total assists (1,506), total digs (1,753), total kills (1,625), and total attacks (4,235),
First-round opponent High Point won the Big South regular-season title for the third straight season with a 12-2 record. The Panthers won the Big South Tournament, sweeping UNC Asheville 3-0 in the final to claim their third straight league-tourney crown and automatic bid to the NCAAs.
High Point and Kansas will be meeting for the first time. Since becoming Division I (1999-00), High Point has qualified for the NCAA Tournament six times. Most recently, High Point played Tennessee in 2023 and Oregon in 2024. The Vols beat High Point 3-0. Oregon, which at the time was coached by Ulmer, swept High Point 3-0 a year ago.
High Point’s best finish in the NCAA tourney came in the spring 2021 COVID season. High Point beat UCF in the first round, 3-2.
