NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana will host an NAIA National Championship event on its campus for the first time ever.
XULA was named Monday as a host site for the 2016 NAIA Volleyball National Championship Opening Round. The Gold Nuggets (16-16) will play the University of Saint Francis (30-11) Saturday (Nov. 19) at XULA's Fitness Center (939 S. Jefferson Davis Parkway, New Orleans, La. 70125). The starting time of the match will be announced Tuesday afternoon. (11/15/2016 update: Match time will be 4 p.m.)
Tickets will cost $5. Students of both universities and XULA faculty and staff will be admitted free.
The XULA-USF winner will advance to the 2016 NAIA National Championship, presented by F&M Bank and Absolute Screen Art, at Sioux City, Iowa, Nov. 29-Dec. 3.
The Fitness Center, which opened in 2015, will be the match site because of homecoming events at the Gold Nuggets' usual home, the Convocation Center. A 1 p.m. basketball game between the Gold Rush and LeMoyne-Owen and a Greek stroll off that evening are scheduled at the Convocation Center.
"We are excited to bring an NAIA national tournament event to the Xavier campus for the very first time," said Jason Horn, XULA director of athletics & recreation. "It will be a fun addition to an already busy weekend. We hope to fill the Fitness Center with enthusiastic fans cheering for our Gold Nuggets."
The Gold Nuggets seek their first-ever victory in the national tournament. This is their sixth consecutive appearance at nationals and sixth overall. XULA qualified as champion of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament, which it won for the sixth straight year.
The Saints, from the Chicago suburb of Joliet, Ill., qualified for nationals for the 10th time and the first time since 2012. They earned an automatic bid by winning the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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