RICHARDSON, TX (11.08.21) - After collecting its seventh all-time ASC championship over the weekend, the UT Dallas volleyball team learned Monday morning that it will be traveling to Atlanta, Ga., this week for the regional round of the 2021 NCAA D-III National Championship.

REGION TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

FULL NCAA D-III BRACKET

The Comets (17-9) will open their eighth trip to the national tournament Thursday at 4:30 p.m. (Central) against Christopher Newport in the opening round, held at the Woodruff Physical Education Center on the campus of regional-host host Emory. UTD is 4-7 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Sweet 16 on its home floor in 2016. The Comets also earned first-round wins in 2013 and 2015.

UTD has met Christopher Newport (22-9) on the volleyball court just one time in the program's 18 history, that coming in the 2005 season, a 3-0 loss to the Captains in a classic hosted by Southwestern in Georgetown. CNU, the champion of the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, is making its 14th consecutive and 18th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament and boasts a 24-17 all-time record in the event. The Captains were the national runner-up in 2011 and advanced to the semifinals in 2012.

The Comets earned the No. 2 seed in last week's ASC Tournament, earning a first-round bye in the event hosted by regular-season champion Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton. After a quick 3-0 win over LeTourneau in the semifinals Friday night, UTD earned a hard-fought 3-1 win over the host Cru in the title match Saturday afternoon to punch the Comets' ticket to the national tournament.

The eight-team Atlanta Regional officially opens at 11:30 a.m. Thursday with No. 4 seed Southwestern (24-5) facing fifth-seeded Washington & Lee (26-7).  Top-seeded Berry (25-2) will then play No. 8-seed Transylvania (23-12), prior to UTD's match with Christopher Newport. The final opening-round match is set for 7 p.m. with host and No. 2 seed Emory (23-5) playing seventh-seeded Southern Virginia (28-4). The second round matches are slated for 3:30 and 6 p.m. on Friday with the regional title match set for 6 p.m. Saturday. All times Central.

The regional champion will then travel to St. Louis, Mo., for the NCAA D-III Championship Finals, Nov. 18-20, hosted by Washington-St. Louis.

Single-session ticket prices are $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and students (with ID), and $3 for children under 12. All-session tickets will also be available, $!2 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and $7 for children under 12. Children 2 and under will be admitted free of change.

All regional matches will be web cast on www.emoryathletics.com.