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Utah, BYU to host NCAA volleyball games

(Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brigham Young's Kennedy Redding (24) spikes past Utah's Tawnee Luafalemana (20) during the volleyball match at the Jon M. Huntsman Center Thursday, September 14, 2017.

  | Nov. 27, 2017, 3:53 a.m.
| Updated: 4:43 a.m.


The No. 17-ranked Utah Utes and No. 7-ranked BYU Cougars will both host the first two rounds of the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament, the selection committee announced Sunday night.

Utah (22-9) received a No. 11 seed and BYU (28-2) received a No. 13 seed.

The Cougars will face American University (26-7) on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Smith Fieldhouse in Provo in a first-round matchup. Oregon (17-11) and Kennesaw State (21-4) are also headed to Provo and will meet before the BYU-American matchup.

Winners of Friday’s matches will play on Saturday.

“We’re excited to be hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament,” BYU coach Heather Olmstead said. “We look forward to opening up the tournament against a very good American team as well as hosting Kennesaw State and Oregon.”

BYU is seeded 13th for the third straight season and has advanced to the regional semifinals in five straight seasons.

Utah is hosting the first two rounds of the tournament for the first time since 2005 after going 13-7 and finishing fourth in Pac-12 play. The Utes will face Cleveland State (22-7) of the Horizon League on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Huntsman Center.

“We are very happy with the 11th seed,” said Utah coach Beth Launiere. “It was one of our main goals going into the season to get one of the top 16 seeds and host.”

It will be Utah’s fourth appearance in the tournament over the last five seasons and 14th in program history.

The Utah-Cleveland State winner will take on the winner of High Point (24-7) and Purdue (22-9) on Friday at 7 p.m.

BYU defeated Utah in a five-set thriller in Salt Lake City earlier this season and was the West Coast Conference co-champion, along with San Diego.

Schedule<br>At the Huntsman Center<br>Thursday<br>High Point (24-7) vs.Purdue (22-9), 4 p.m.<br>No. 11 Utah (22-9) vs. Cleveland St. (22-7), 7 p.m.<br>Friday<br>First-round winners, 7 p.m.<br>At Smith Fieldhouse<br>Friday<br>Kennesaw St. (21-4) vs. Oregon (17-11), 4 p.m.<br>No. 13 BYU (28-2) vs. American (26-7), 7 p.m.<br>Saturday<br>First-round winners, 7 p.m.