ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The seventh-seeded Central Washington University volleyball team (18-7, 14-4 GNAC) was announced for its 13th straight appearance in the NCAA West Regional on Monday evening.
 
The Wildcats will take on a familiar face in second-seeded Simon Fraser (20-4, 14-4 GNAC), in an immediate rematch of the final match of the season that saw the Red Leafs defeat Central to claim a share of the GNAC title–SFU's first ever.
 
CWU enters the NCAA West Regional as part of a five-team representation from the GNAC after the Wildcats claimed a quarter-share of the conference regular season title.
 
Joining the 'Cats from the conference are fifth-seeded Alaska Fairbanks (23-5, 14-4 GNAC), fourth-seeded Alaska Anchorage (23-5, 14-4 GNAC), Simon Fraser, and sixth-seeded Western Washington (19-6, 13-5), who's the only conference member in the postseason that didn't take a share of the title.
 
With the four teams finishing in a tie for the top spot, head-to-head records determined that the team that earned the automatic bid for the postseason would be Alaska Fairbanks, who went 4-2 against the other three co-champions, while Central and Anchorage split their record with 3-3 records, and Simon Fraser logged a 2-4 record.
 
This marks only the second time that the GNAC has had five representatives at the regional since the conference's inception in 2001, with the other occurrence being in 2016. The conference also had 4 of 8 regional teams in 2014, 2017, and 2021.
 
CWU will take on a fellow GNAC member for the first time since 2022, when the 'Cats defeated Western Washington in the first round 3-1. This will be Simon Fraser's fourth NCAA Tournament appearance and its second in a row.

You can view the full NCAA bracket and selection show HERE