Women’s Volleyball Hosts NCAA Tournament
Babson’s women’s volleyball team has lately been in the business of winning. And this season, business is booming.
On Saturday afternoon, the Beavers defeated top-seeded Springfield College to win the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) title. That victory improved the team’s stellar record to 23–8 overall. It’s the Beavers’ third conference tournament championship in the last five years.
“The players have had a great growth mindset this season—trying to get a little better every week,” head coach Eric Neely said. “We’ve embraced a challenging schedule with plenty of tough matches on the road that prepared us to play in a great playoff atmosphere at Springfield. This group is a privilege to coach, and I look forward to every moment we’re together.”
Following the victory, three players were named to the NEWMAC All-Conference first team. Abby Beecher ‘19 earned the first NEWMAC Defensive Player of the Year in school history, while Elizabeth Cameron ’20 and Allie Puccio ‘21 joined her to give the Beavers three of the league’s seven first-team slots.
Come this weekend, the Beavers will look to continue their winning season in the NCAA® Tournament. This year, they’ve got a new edge: home court advantage.
For the first time in program history, Babson was selected as one of eight regional hosts for the NCAA® Division III tournament. Eight teams will descend upon Staake Gymnasium from November 9–11 for the chance to advance to next weekend’s finals in Pittsburgh. The Beavers will host the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Friday’s opening round at 8 p.m.
The winner of Friday’s match will take on either Wellesley College or Wentworth Institute of Technology in Saturday’s second round.
Updated 11/10: After winning Friday and Saturday, the Beavers advanced to the regional final. They’ll face Bowdoin College on Sunday at 2 p.m.
“We are proud and excited for the opportunity to host this regional tournament,” said Mike Lynch, Babson’s Senior Director, Athletics and Athletics Advancement. “It is a real testament to Eric and his team that we are in this position as our program continues to excel under his direction. I am also grateful to our staff for the foresight and diligence they have put into this process from original bid to tournament championship. We envision a great weekend for all of our guests.”
Fans looking to cheer on the team live can purchase tickets at the door. Tickets for single sessions are $6 for adults, $4 for senior citizens and students, and $3 for children under 12. All-session passes also are available for $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and $7 for children under 12. Babson students and children under 2 will be admitted free of charge.
Fans who can’t make it to Wellesley can stream games on their televisions through OTT apps on Amazon Fire, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku devices—just search “Babson” on your OTT app to access the Babson Athletics’ channel.
The Babson Athletics team will provide coverage of the tournament all weekend via babsonathletics.com, live broadcast, and social media.
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