Ferris State Claims GLIAC's Top Seed For 11th Annual Midwest Region Crossover In Indy
Big Rapids, Mich. – Official pairings have been announced for the 11th annual Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover Tournament, the nation's largest collegiate volleyball tournament, which will be held at The Academy Volleyball Club in Indianapolis this coming weekend (Oct. 12-13).
The regional volleyball event will feature 38 NCAA DII midwest region programs, including 14 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), 12 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), and 12 Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) volleyball programs that will represent their respective conferences.
Overall, the two-day tournament features 57 matches conducted on 10 courts throughout six sessions at one of the top volleyball facilities in the country. The event, designed to increase competition between teams from the three leagues in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region, has previously been held in Indianapolis, Ind., Lansing, Mich., and Aurora, Ill.
Ferris State University (16-3, 11-0 GLIAC) is the GLIAC's No. 1 seed overall. Top seeds also went to Drury (Mo.) from the GLVC and Hillsdale from the G-MAC.
Ferris State, which was ranked sixth nationally last week and owns a 16-3 overall record, will face Findlay of the G-MAC along with GLVC members Indianapolis and Drury in weekend action.
The Bulldogs open tournament play on Friday versus the G-MAC's second-seed in Findlay at 11:30 a.m. (ET). FSU then takes on the GLVC's fifth-seed Indianapolis on Friday at 5:30 p.m. (ET) before concluding the action on Saturday versus the GLVC's top seed in Drury at 1 p.m. (ET).
The conference that boasts the best combined record at the end of the event will earn the Crossover traveling trophy, which was reclaimed by the GLVC a year ago in 2017 after the GLIAC had snapped the GLVC's six-year winning streak by taking possession in 2016.
The GLIAC claimed the event's first title in 2008 with a 27-12 record, only to retain it the following year with a 24-21 mark. In 2010, the GLVC earned its first Crossover win with a 23-22 effort only to take the next two seasons in 2011 (29-19) and 2012 (28-20). In 2013, the two conferences tied 24-24, but the GLVC earned the event win based on a game record tiebreak. In 2014, the GLVC controlled play throughout to keep the trophy by a 37-11 margin and in 2015 the GLVC notched a 28-20 mark to the GLIAC's 24-24 overall record with the expanded format. Two years ago, in 2016, the GLIAC recorded a 30-15 ledger with the GLVC going 23-25 and the G-MAC 1-14 overall. Last year, the GLVC led the way with a 31-14 mark followed by the GLIAC (13-23) and the G-MAC (10-17).
The GLIAC, founded in 1972, consists of 12 league members from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and starting next year in Wisconsin. The league has been a leader in the advancement and promotion of intercollegiate athletics for men and women for more than 40 years.
The GLVC is a 14-member NCAA Division II conference with current members in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri and has been combining athletic and academic success at the NCAA Division II level since 1978.
The current 14-member G-MAC earned active NCAA Division II member status in July of 2013, when they began competition as the 24th active NCAA Division II conference in 2013-14. Presently, their representation includes the states of West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and Michigan.
Visit this link for the 2018 Crossover Website:
2018 Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover