Cortland Volleyball to Face Christopher Newport in NCAA First Round Thursday at Virginia Wesleyan
Cortland Sports Information Department
The Cortland women's volleyball team will be making its fifth straight NCAA Division III tournament appearance and 29th overall as part of an eight-team regional hosted by Virginia Wesleyan University in Virginia Beach, Va. The Red Dragons (24-7) will open against Christopher Newport (24-7) in the first round on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 11:30 a.m.
The Cortland/Christopher Newport winner will face either Juniata (27-5) or Grove City (20-8) in the second round on Friday, Nov. 21 at 4:30 p.m. Thursday's other first-round matchups feature Berry (24-7) versus Washington & Lee (23-9) and Virginia Wesleyan (31-2) versus John Jay (23-6). The regional final is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 22, and the regional champion will advance to the "elite eight" in Bloomington, Illinois, Wednesday through Saturday, Dec. 3-6. Tickets each day are $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens and students, and $7 for children ages 3-12. (Cash preferred) Children 2 and under are free.
Cortland has advanced to the national quarterfinals nine times, most recently in 2011. The Red Dragons lost to Carnegie Mellon in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA tournament. Cortland won opening-round matches the previous three years, defeating Gettysburg in 2023, Rowan in 2022 and Merchant Marine Academy in 2021.
Under seventh-year head coach Erin Glickert, the Red Dragons won their 24th State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) title this past weekend to earn an NCAA automatic bid. The top-seeded Red Dragons beat Buffalo State in straight sets in the semifinal round and swept Oswego in the finals to win their fifth straight conference crown.
Outside hitter Kira Pirrera (Hauppauge/Smithtown West) leads the Red Dragons with 422 kills (3.8 per set) and 54 aces, and she's second on the team with 325 digs. Outside hitter Emalee Ballou (Eden) has 294 kills (2.7 per set), while middle blocker Lauren Millspaugh (Trumansburg/Charles O. Dickerson) has 219 kills (2.1 per set), a .389 attack percentage and a team-high 102 blocks (0.95 per set). Setter Melissa O'Connor (Hauppauge) has a team-best 524 assists (5.5 per set) and is second on the team with 47 aces. Setter Samantha Rodriguez (Camarillo, CA/Adolfo Camarillo) has registered 400 assists (4.8 per set), and libero Alyssa Rich (Rochester/Churchville-Chili) is the team leader with 487 digs (4.4 per set).
Millspaugh was named the SUNYAC Tournament MVP and was joined on the all-tournament team by Ballou and Rich.
Christopher Newport earned an NCAA automatic berth after sweeping Salisbury to win its second straight Coast-to-Coast Conference title. The Captains are making their 18th consecutive NCAA appearance.
Cortland and CNU have met three times since 2011. The Captains won in four sets over the Red Dragons in the 2011 NCAA Division III quarterfinals at Washington University-St. Louis. CNU also beat Cortland at home in five sets in 2012 and swept the Red Dragons in 2014 in a match played at Juniata.
