SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Missouri Baptist University women's volleyball begins its quest for the program's first national title on Tuesday as Pool Play commences at the 2019 NAIA Women's Volleyball National Championship presented by Marriott South Sioux City Riverfront. The Spartans are making their 10^th overall National Championship appearance after earning one of the American Midwest Conference's two automatic bids.
 
As one of the NAIA's top 18 teams, MBU bypassed the NAIA Opening Round last weekend and advanced to the National Championship Final Site in Sioux City as the No. 4 overall seed. Joining the Spartans in Pool D are No. 13 Grand View University (Iowa), No. 20 College of Saint Mary (Neb.) and Texas Wesleyan University. The Spartans take on the Rams of Texas Wesleyan on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. to kick off championship action.
 
How the Spartans Have Fared vs. Pool D Opponents
 

Opponent	All-Time Record	Last Meeting	Notes
Texas Wesleyan	0-1	2005	In the lone meeting between the two teams, Texas Wesleyan swept MBU in Pool D at the 2005 NAIA National Championship, 30-26, 31-29, 30-23 ; both made it out of Pool D and advanced to the single-elimination bracket
College of Saint Mary	1-1	2006	Both meetings in 2005 & 2006 came during regular-season tournaments ; MBU defeated the Flames in five sets at College of Saint Mary's Premier Classic in 2006 ; CSM won the first meeting in 2005, 3-1
Grand View	5-2	2019	Missouri Baptist has won five out of the last six meetings between the two teams ; MBU defeated the preseason-No. 3 Vikings in September at the MBU Fall Invite, 3-2 (16-25, 25-22, 25-18, 23-25, 15-13) ; MoBap and Grand View have never met during the postseason

 
NAIA Championship History
Led by Chris Nichols, who is in his seventh year as head coach and 15^th year with the program, Missouri Baptist is 28-21 all-time in NAIA Tournament matches with one runner-up finish and three semifinal appearances. The Spartans have advanced to the single-elimination bracket (Round of 16) in each of the last five seasons.
 
Wins Against Ranked Foes
With one of the tougher schedules in the country, Missouri Baptist picked up six wins against teams ranked in the Top 10 at the time they played:
 
No. 9 Lindsey Wilson – W, 3-0
No. 5 Viterbo – W, 3-1
No. 8 Midland – W, 3-0
No. 3 Grand View – W, 3-2
No. 7 Columbia – W, 3-0
No. 9 Columbia – W, 3-0
 
How to Tune In
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Live Stats – http://bit.ly/2qhVbcE (FREE)
Twitter – http://twitter.com/MBUWVolleyball
Twitter – http://twitter.com/MBUAthletics

GAME NOTES