Owens will host national championships

11/16/2011
BLADE STAFF

The top 16 community college volleyball teams from across the country land in Northwest Ohio this week as Owens Community College serves as host to the NJCAA Division II Women's Volleyball National Championship Tournament on Thursday through Saturday.

The College has hosted the national championship tournament on seven previous occasions.

Owens served as the host site for the NJCAA Division II Women's Volleyball National Championship Tournament from 2001-04 and the NJCAA Division III Women's Volleyball National Championship Tournament from 1998-2000.

All tournament matches will be played at the College's Student Health and Activities Center (SHAC) on the Toledo-area Campus.

Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township.

Tournament competition in the 16-team consolation-elimination event begins on Thursday with first round matches taking place at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The second round will begin at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.

On Friday, Nov. 18, the national volleyball tournament continues with losers' bracket and national semifinal matches at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

The tournament will conclude on Saturday, Nov. 19, with consolation bracket matches at 12 p.m. followed by the fifth place match at 2:30 p.m., the third place match at 4:30 p.m. and national championship match at 6:30 p.m.

The 16 teams competing in the tournament are Kishwaukee College, Malta, Ill. (33-9); Prairie State College, Chicago Heights, Ill. (27-10); Iowa Lakes Community College, Estherville, Iowa (31-8); Iowa Central Community College, Fort Dodge, Iowa (44-6);

Oakland Community College, Auburn Hills, Mich. (38-3); Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, Mich. (31-5);

Central Community College, Columbus, Neb. (30-9); Hagerstown Community College, Hagerstown, Md. (27-7); Phoenix College, Phoenix, Ariz. (19-8); Parkland College, Champaign, Ill. (38-7); Illinois Central College, East Peoria, Ill. (28-11);

Genesee Community College, Batavia, N.Y. (22-19); Cowley College, Arkansas City, Kan. (33-2); Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kan. (23-11); Metropolitan Community College-Longview, Lee's Summit, Mo. (20-3), and Pasco-Hernando Community College, New Port Richey, Fla. (31-9).