No. 11 seeded Cardinals Set to Play San Diego in NCAA Championships

Thursday, April 15

Omaha, NE

12:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

University of San Diego

Claire Chaussee, Aiko Jones, Tori Dilfer, Amaya Tillman, Anna DeBeer, celebration

No. 11 seeded Cardinals Set to Play San Diego in NCAA Championships

April 14, 2021 | Women's Volleyball

Cardinals play Thursday at Noon ET vs. San Diego

By: Nancy Worley

OMAHA -- The No. 11-seeded and No. 13-ranked University of Louisville volleyball team is set to make its 29th NCAA Tournament appearance beginning this Thursday at noon (ET) versus San Diego in the CHI Health Convention Center in Omaha.

This Week in Cardinal Volleyball

Second Round

GAME: No. 11 Louisville vs. San Diego
DATE: April 15, 2021
TIME: Noon ET
WATCH: https://uofl.me/3wTeV3S

How We Got Here
No. 13-ranked Louisville clinched the 2020 ACC Volleyball Championship with a 3-0 win against North Carolina. The ACC title is the third in the last six seasons for the Cardinals (14-2, 13-2), and their second outright. Louisville shared the championship with Pitt in 2017 after winning it outright in 2015. Louisville also earned the ACC's automatic qualification to the NCAA Championship with the win over North Carolina.

Take a Peek at the Competition
San Diego
No. 21 San Diego will make its 11th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, facing Texas A&M- Corpus Christi in the first round. The Toreros (12-4) will face the Islanders (14-4) in the opening round on April 14 The winner will take on the No. 11 seed, Louisville who earned a bye in the first round. USD advanced to the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament after knocking off No. 23 Washington State, 3-1, before falling to No. 18 Hawai'i, 3-0, in the Stan Sheriff Center. USD is led by Thana Fayad, Grace Frohling and Roxie Wiblin, who were named to the 2020-21 All-WCC Volleyball First Team. It is the second-straight first team honor for both Fayad and Frohling. Frohling also received WCC Freshman of the Year a season ago, while Wiblin took home honorable mention in 2018 as well as WCC Freshman of the Year honors in 2017. Katie Lukes received her second All-WCC 2nd team award.

TAMCC
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi earned its way into the tournament when it won in a dramatic five-setter against Sam Houston to win the Southland championship trophy for the third time in program history. The Islanders had a well-balanced offense that ranks sixth nationally in kills per set, the Islanders flashed their attack expertise with four student-athletes: Hannah Froeschl, Rachel Young, Chloe Simon and Montez Uigaese each finished with double-figure kills and contributing to a season-high 77 kills for the Islanders. Tournament MVP Simon notched her second double-double of the tournament with 12 kills and 12 digs while Froeschl paced the offensive charge and also combined with Uigaese to account for eight of the team's 11 blocks. Southland Libero of the Year Carissa Barnes had 36 digs while Setter of Year Faith Panhans had 62 assists, eight kills and nine digs.

Busboom Kelly Against the Field
Dani Busboom Kelly hasn't faced either of the possible opponents since becoming head coach in 2017.

Cardinals Rock the East Region
Louisville placed four players on the AVCA East All-Region Team. Head Coach Dani Busboom Kelly was named the East Region Coach of the Year and Anna DeBeer was named East Region Freshman of the Year. DeBeer, Tori Dilfer, Aiko Jones and Anna Stevenson were named to the All-East Region Team.

Named ACC Coach of the Year, Busboom Kelly led Louisville to its third ACC Championship, winning 13 league matches. Under her guidance, the Cardinals lead the nation in blocks per set and lead the league in opponent hitting percentage. Louisville also ranks among the top five in the ACC in hitting percentage (second, .285), kills per set (second, 14.08) and assists per set (12.58).

Named ACC Freshman of the Year, DeBeer, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, ranks near the top of the ACC in kills per set with 3.17. The rookie outside hitter has a .283 hitting percentage and averages 1.50 digs per set.

Dilfer, the ACC Setter of the Year, leads the ACC and ranks among the top 20 in the NCAA in assists per set with 10.93. The senior from Los Gatos, California, keys a Louisville offense that is among the nation's leaders in hitting percentage (13th, .285) and kills per set (21st, 14.08).

Jones was named First Team All-ACC and was an ACC Player of the Week. She played in all 52 sets and started in all 16 matches. She leads the team with 153 kills, hitting .267. She has three assists and leads the Cards in aces with 16. She has 56 digs and 56 blocks.

Stevenson has established herself as one of Louisville's most potent weapons, both offensively and defensively. She has played in all 52 sets and has 132 kills, hits .449, with 10 aces, 22 digs and 68 blocks. She was named to the All-ACC First Team. She is ranked No. 10 in the nation in hitting percentage and No. 34 in blocks.

Busboom Kelly Is ACC Coach of the Year
Busboom Kelly led Louisville to its third ACC Championship, winning 13 league matches. Under her guidance, the Cardinals lead the nation in blocks per set and lead the league in opponent hitting percentage. Louisville also ranks among the top five in the ACC in hitting percentage (second, .285), kills per set (second, 14.08) and assists per set (12.58).

Dilfer Named ACC Setter of the Year
Tori Dilfer leads the ACC and ranks among the top 20 in the NCAA in assists per set with 10.93. The senior from Los Gatos, California, keys a Louisville offense that is among the nation's leaders in hitting percentage (13th, .285) and kills per set (21st, 14.08).

Tillman Named ACC Defensive Player of the Year
Amaya Tillman leads the league and ranks third in the nation in blocks per set with 1.65. She spearheads a stout Louisville defense that is the best nationally in blocks per set this season with 3.25 and ranks 17th in opponent hitting percentage (.132).

DeBeer Named ACC Freshman of the Year
A native of Louisville, Kentucky, DeBeer ranks 10th in the league in kills per set with 3.17. The rookie outside hitter has a .283 hitting percentage and averages 1.50 digs per set.

Stevenson, Jones, DeBeer, and Dilfer Named 1st Team All -ACC/Tillman Named 2nd Team
Thirteen different schools are represented on the All-ACC Team, led by Louisville and Notre Dame with five honorees. Aiko Jones leads the Cardinals in kills with 153, hits .267 and has a team-high 16 aces. Stevenson hits .449 with 132 kills and 68 total blocks.

NCAA Stat Rankings Highlights
Team
No. 1 in Blocks/Set 3.25
No. 17 in Opponent Hitting percentage .132
No. 21 in Kill/Sets 14.08
No. 13 in Hitting percentage .285
NCAA Stat Ranking Individual
No. 3 in Blocks/Set Amaya Tillman 1.65
No. 10 in Hitting % Anna Stevenson .449
No. 16 in Assists/Set Tori Dilfer 10.93
No. 34 in Blocks/Set Anna Stevenson 1.31

ACC Rankings
The Cards lead the ACC in blocks/set (3.25), kills/set (14.08) and opponent hitting percentage (.132).
Best Hitting Percentage, Most Blocks & Most Assists in a Single Match
Louisville's .474 hitting percentage against Boston College on Oct. 2 is the best of any Division I team this season in a three-set match, and the Cardinals' 19.0 team blocks against the Eagles on Oct. 3 is the most by any team in a four-set match (tied with UK).

Cards Rank No. 1 in the Nation In Blocks
Louisville leads the ACC and the nation in blocks per set with 3.25 per set average.

Tillman No. 3 in the Nation as Individual
Louisville's Amaya Tillman averages 1.65 blocks per set which is No. 3 the nation. She has been ranked as high as No. 1 in this category.

NCAA Experience
Of the possible eight starters, six have 16 sets of NCAA play under their belts (Claire Chaussee, Anna Stevenson, Tori Dilfer, Aiko Jones, Amaya Tillman and Alexis Hamilton) Nena Mbonu did not play in the four NCAA matches last year and freshman Anna DeBeer was still at Assumption High School.

Get the Brooms!
The Cards have ten 3-0 sweeps this season.

Matches Cancelled
The Cards had six matches cancelled due to COVID issues: 9/26 Notre Dame; 2/20 @Lipscomb; 2/27 @Notre Dame; 3/5 at Virginia Tech; 3/12 @Clemson; and 3/21 at Virginia when the Cavs' coaching staff was suspended.

Recruiting Class Ranked No. 17
The Cards' recruiting class for the Class of 2020 has been ranked No. 17 by PrepVolleyball.com. The Cardinals signed Ayden Bartlett, 5-8 DS/Libero, Leavenworth (Kansas); Anna DeBeer, 5-11 OH, Assumption (Louisville, Kentucky); Phekran "PK" Kong, 6-3 MB, Washington (Sioux Falls, South Dakota); Ceci Rush, 5-6 DS/Libero, Providence (Clarksville, Indiana); Brooke Smith, 6-2 OH, Leo (Indiana).