Michelle Emming (8), Jennifer Emming (9) and Emily Dixon (14) are key players for the Tigers in 2003.

Wittenberg National Invitational II Results Web Site

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg University volleyball team hosts the Wittenberg National Invitational II this weekend, featuring one of the strongest regular season fields anywhere in the nation. Eight teams will compete over a two-day span beginning at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, and winding up with championship and third-place matches at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11. The teams will compete on two courts in Wittenberg's HPER Center.

Along with the host Tigers, competing in the 2003 Wittenberg National Invitational II are Elmhurst, Baldwin-Wallace, Wartburg, Washington University, Mount St. Joseph, St. Thomas and Muskingum. That represents eight teams from five states, including Missouri, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa and Ohio. Five of the teams - Washington University (No. 2), Wittenberg (No. 6), Mount St. Joseph (No. 7), St. Thomas (No. 9) and Elmhurst (No. 15) - are ranked in the top 25 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll. In addition, Baldwin-Wallace and Wartburg are in the "others receiving votes" category of that poll, and Muskingum comes in sporting a 12-8 record.

"This will be a great weekend of volleyball," said Wittenberg Head Coach Paco Labrador. "I'm sure all the coaches are looking forward to the high-level competition as a mid-season performance barometer. Each team will leave this weekend with a good sense for what it needs to do to finish strong and prevail in the NCAA tournament."

The Tigers head into the weekend with a 16-4 record, including a perfect 6-0 mark in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Wittenberg, which has won six straight NCAC regular season and tournament championships and has made seven straight appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament, is the preseason favorite in the 2003 conference race. Three of the Tigers' losses so far this season have come to teams ranked in the top eight in the nation, including Washington University and Mount St. Joseph.