FARMINGTON, Utah (Dec. 1, 2025) – Big Sky volleyball tournament champion Northern Colorado will head to Omaha, as the Bears face third-seeded Creighton in the opening round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament.
The Bears officially earned their bid on Sunday, as part of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament selection show on ESPN. The game is slated for Thursday, Dec. 4. Fans can watch the game on ESPN+. First serve will be 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one at D.J. Sokol Arena between Utah and sixth-seeded Northern Iowa.
Northern Colorado is coming off of an exhilirating Big Sky Tournament run where they won three matches in as many days, including a pair of five-set thrillers. The Bears took down No. 8 Idaho State in sweeping fashion to secure the championship on Wednesday.
The tournament title was the first for Northern Colorado since 2022.
The Bears are seeking to become the first Big Sky team since 2020 to win a game in the NCAA Volleyball Tournament. That victory came for Weber State against Bowling Green in four sets.
The Blue Jays enter the NCAA Volleyball Tournament with a 25-5 record overall, while going a perfect 16-0 in the Big East this season, dropping just four sets in conference play. Creighton swept Big East volleyball titles this season, most recently securing their sixth consecutive Big East Tournament crown in sweeping fashion over Xavier. Creighton advanced to the elite eight of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament last year, before falling to eventual National Champion No. 2 Penn State in five sets.
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