Two days after a heartbreaking defeat in the Big West Championships, Cal Poly Beach Volleyball received an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships for a shot at redemption.
The Mustangs will come into the tournament as the No. 6 seed and will face the No. 11 seed LSU in Gulf Shores, Florida, at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 2.
They did not face the Tigers during this season, who finished the year with a 24-12 record and the No. 11 ranking.
The last time Cal Poly and LSU squared off was over six years ago in 2019. They hold a 3-0 lifetime record over the Mustangs.
The Mustangs come into the tournament as the No. 6-ranked team in Division I, peaking as high as No. 3 during an 18-game midseason win streak.
Last year’s trip to the NCAA Championships ended in a strong run to a third-place finish.
This season, the team rides in with significantly higher expectations with more experience under their belt.
On Friday, the Mustangs came up short to No. 10 Long Beach State in the Big West Championships, ending their hopes of a conference title despite coming in as the No. 1 seed.
They will be looking to bounce back with even higher stakes, starting May 2.