Selected: UW-EC Volleyball and Men's Soccer Learn NCAA Tournament Bids
Nov. 7—Members of the Blugolds' athletics office, athletes, coaches and UW-EC administrators were on hand Monday afternoon in the athletics office at Brewer Hall to watch the Division III NCAA selection shows for the women's volleyball and men's soccer tournaments.
The women's volleyball team learned its NCAA future first. The Blugolds will play Gustavus Adolphus at Northwestern University of St. Paul on Thursday at 12:30 p.m.
There was plenty of excited chatter as the volleyball players departed the selection show, and several laughs over how the NCAA broadcasters mispronounced Gustavus.
The amusement over the mispronunciation extended into the men's soccer selection show, where coach Casey Holm and a small group of his players learned the team will face Luther College at Gustavus Adolphus on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Players Cooper Roberts and Max Walters explained their delight in earning a tournament appearance in the program's second year of existence. Holm seemed pleased at the impact his team has made in its two years.
He fielded a question about what the team would need to do to prepare for its tournament appearance by saying, "I think we just need to continue doing what we've done. The team set up for making a postseason run, not just a game by game but by recognizing that was our goal. We were going to make it and be successful."
He continued with, "Our depth is very, very key to what we've done in our brand and soccer program to be successful." The coach and players were asked if they ever just take a step back and look what they've already accomplished for the program.
Holm responded, "The University of Chicago just called the other day and asked us to play on their schedule, and we're thinking a year or two. That they would call us to play, it's very exciting."
This is the second consecutive year the Blugold volleyball team has participated in the NCAA tournament. Last year, the UW-EC women capped the season with a national championship. Earlier this fall, coach Kim Wudi explained her team would keep playing its brand of volleyball, even knowing how many teams would likely be chasing them.
The reaction to hearing the name "Wisconsin-Eau Claire" during each selection show was swift and spectacular, with the room occupants hooting and cheering in glee. During the men's soccer selection show, there were some grimaces and groans of dismay when the name "Wisconsin-Platteville" was announced before Eau Claire.
UW-Eau Claire Chancellor James Schmidt appeared in the athletics office shortly after the men's soccer selection was announced to offer his congratulations and join in the celebration. He was presented a Blugolds scarf by Coach Holm, which he immediately donned, and wore for the rest of his time at Brewer Hall; Holm explained one of the team parents made the scarf. Schmidt indicated he might have time to see the Saturday soccer match since he would be on his own this weekend.
