2009 Volleyball Championship BracketINDIANAPOLIS -- Cleveland State University will be the top seed in the 2009 Horizon League Volleyball Championship after claiming its first regular-season title since joining the conference in 1994. The winner of the League's six-team tournament earns an automatic berth into the 64-team NCAA Championship.
Cleveland State (25-7 overall, 13-3 Horizon League), which rolled to a League-best 12 consecutive victories earlier this season, enters the tournament having won 14 of its last 16 overall. The Vikings have earned a bye to the semifinals of this year's championship.
CSU posted back-to-back upset wins on its home floor during the 2008 conference tournament, but fell to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in a five-set championship match.
Valparaiso University (22-9, 12-4), which rolled to eight straight wins earlier this season, enters the tournament having won 14 of its last 17 overall. The Crusaders earn the tournament's No. 2 seed and will also receive a bye to the semifinals.
Milwaukee (13-14, 10-6) enters the tournament having won a season-best eight straight matches. The defending tournament-champion Panthers earn the tournament's No. 3 seed.
UWM saw its streak of seven consecutive regular-season titles come to an end, but the Panthers will be shooting for their third tournament crown in the past four years.
Butler University (21-13, 10-6), the tournament's No. 4 seed, coasted through a 34-match season without losing more than two straight affairs. The Bulldogs, who went 9-0 at Hinkle Fieldhouse, were the League's only team to go undefeated at home this season.
The University of Illinois at Chicago (15-17, 8-8), the tournament's No. 5 seed, knocked off three of the League's top four seeds in the regular season. The Flames were the tournament's runner-up in 2006.
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (10-19, 5-11), which survived a three-way tie for sixth place, has earned the tournament's final seed. The Phoenix captured the 2003 tournament title, but have not been to the championship match since.
The three-day Horizon League Volleyball Championship will take place at Woodling Gymnasium on the Cleveland State campus.
No. 3 Milwaukee will battle No. 6 Green Bay in the first quarterfinal on Friday at 5 p.m. ET. No. 4 Butler will then square off with No. 5 UIC in the second quarterfinal at 7:30 p.m.
No. 1 Cleveland State will face the lowest remaining seed in the first semifinal on Saturday at 1 p.m., while No. 2 Valparaiso will then battle the highest remaining seed in the second semifinal at 3:30 p.m.
The semifinal winners will meet on Sunday at 1 p.m for the conference title.
For up-to-date schedules, scores, live statistics and match recaps, visit www.horizonleague.org. For live video feeds, highlights and other on-demand content, visit www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv.
2009 HORIZON LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP(all matches at Woodling Gymnasium in Cleveland, Ohio)Friday, Nov. 20 -- quarterfinalsMatch 1 -- #3 Milwaukee vs. #6 Green Bay -- 5:00 p.m. ET
Match 2 -- #4 Butler vs. #5 UIC -- 7:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, Nov. 21 -- semifinalsMatch 3 -- #1 Cleveland State vs. lowest remaining seed -- 1:00 p.m. ET
Match 4 -- #2 Valparaiso vs. highest remaining seed -- 3:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, Nov. 22 -- championshipMatch 5 -- Match 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner -- 1:00 p.m. ET
Tags: All Teams - Volleyball