SDSU, USIU Make NCAA Tournament

San Diego State will play host to UC Santa Barbara in a first-round match of the NCAA women’s volleyball playoffs, and United States International University will travel to Hawaii. Both teams are competing in the Northwest Regional.

The Aztecs (36-8), ranked No. 5 in the nation, will play No. 10 UCSB (24-11) Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Peterson Gym. USIU (20-15) will play No. 3 Hawaii (29-6) in Honolulu Friday at 7:30 p.m.

USIU was a surprise choice because the Gulls have not been ranked in the top 20 all year and finished third in the West Coast Athletic Conference. But USIU ended the regular season with a victory over No. 20 Colorado State. This is USIU’s first trip to the NCAA tournament since it started a Division I volleyball program in 1981.

The Aztecs and UCSB have met three times season. SDSU split with UCSB in Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. play, winning in Santa Barbara and losing at home, and defeated the Gauchos in the first round of the PCAA Tournament at Long Beach.

SDSU is making its sixth consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament and ninth straight in postseason.