WC earns nationals berth, to play for regional title Saturday
The No. 2-ranked Weatherford College Coyotes punched their ticket to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament for the third year in a row. They defeated No. 11 NMMI in a hard-fought match (3-1) to secure the automatic berth.
Weatherford College advanced to the finals of the NJCAA Region V Volleyball Tournament, defeating New Mexico Military Institute in the semifinals on Friday at the Betty Jo Graber Athletic Center, three sets to one.
By advancing to the finals, WC (31-2) earned an automatic berth in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament for the third consecutive year. This year's tournament will be held Nov. 19-23 in Clarksville, Tennessee.
WC, the No. 2 ranked team in the country, faces No. 7 Odessa College Saturday at 1 p.m. for the Region V championship. Weatherford last won the regional title in 2023—the last time they hosted the tournament.
NMMI (24-9), ranked No. 11, won the first set Friday, 25-23. That snapped a 54-set winning streak for WC—the Coyotes had not lost a set since Sept. 6 against then-No. 1 Miami Dade.
The Coyotes bounced back to win the second set handedly, 25-16. The final two sets were back-and-forth battles, 25-22 and 25-21.
