TODAY’S GAME
Wittenberg vs. Cabrini, 8 p.m., Pam Evans Smith Arena
Trophies, banners and plaques abound at the HPER Center and Pam Evans Smith Arena. Any potential recruit on campus for the first time couldn’t look left, right or up without seeing some sign that Wittenberg takes winning seriously.
In the main lobby of the HPER Center, however, one trophy case stands out. It honors Wittenberg’s 2011 national championship in volleyball and contains the trophy, a volleyball from the final match, photos of that team and its players and other souvenirs.
Coach Paco Labrador’s Tigers begin a quest for another national title Thursday when they host Cabrini at 8 p.m. in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament. It’s hard to say where they would put another trophy case, but that would be a good problem to have.
The Tigers (27-3) come into the tournament ranked fourth in the nation. Wittenberg was 31-3 and ranked third in the nation when it began its run to the title in 2011.
“You understand what your team has to have just to be able to sit at the table,” Labrador said. “Whether you end up winning it or not, so much of it comes down to luck and a couple of the matchups here and there and the balls rolling here and there. All you ever do as a coach is make sure your team has the stuff to be there if it’s your time.”
The Tigers are led by a two-time North Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year, junior Kara Seidenstricker, a Jonathan Alder graduate from London, Ohio. Labrador won his sixth NCAC Coach of the Year award this season.
This is the first time Wittenberg has hosted an NCAA regional since 2010. Thursday’s other matches include: No. 10 Juniata vs. Franciscan at 12:30 p.m.; No. 2 Hope vs. Franklin & Marshall at 3 p.m.; and Washington & Lee vs. Mount Union at 5:30 p.m.
“It’s nice to be in front of our home crowd, no question about it,” Labrador said.
With a victory today, Wittenberg would play Mount Union or Washington & Lee at 6 p.m. Friday. The Tigers lost 3-1 to Hope, the top-ranked team in the regional, in their season opener. The Tigers also lost 3-2 to Juniata, another possible opponent in Saturday’s regional final.
Wittenberg beat Washington & Lee and Mount Union during the regular season and also Calvin, the top-ranked team in the poll entering the tournament, and No. 7 Washington-St. Louis.
Most of the top volleyball teams in Division III play each other during the season.
“This has been a very hard season,” Labrador said. “We scheduled some tough competition. We are pretty well tested across the board. We’ve seen a lot of different styles of volleyball all season long. Each team has challenged us in different ways.”
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