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 Bethel Volleyball NCAA Tournament History


Appearances: 1999, 2001, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2021
Record: 7 Wins, 6 Losses (.538)
 

• 1999 •

Pacific Lutheran Regional - Tacoma, Wash.
Pacific Lutheran 3, Bethel 2 
 

• 2001 •Bethel Volleyball 2001 versus St. Olaf

Washington University in St. Louis Regional - St. Louis, Mo.
#13 Bethel 3, Hunter 0 [30-14, 30-15, 30-18]
#4 Central 3, #13 Bethel 0 [25-30, 28-30, 27-30]


There were a lot of first for the Royals in 2001, starting with rally scoring being implemented and each set - then called games - being played to 30. Under first-year head coach Gretchen Hunt, the Royals adjusted quickly tallying 25 wins for the second time in three seasons and only the second time since 1987. The 25-10 Royals were also crowned the inaugural MIAC Playoff Champions - under the current seeding format - earning their way into the big dance for the second time in three years. For the first time in program history, Bethel saw themselves enter the national spotlight with at Top 25 ranking in the AVCA polls. BU earned its first-ever ranking at No. 19, getting as high as No. 13 come tournament time, before finishing No. 17th. 

Nationally ranked, automatic-bid qualifier and winners of five of their last six, the Royals traveled south to The Gateway to the West for postseason play. Handling Hunter with no issues, BU reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history before falling to No. 4 Central in a tightly contested three sets. During the 2001 season, Bethel boasted MIAC Player of the Year, AVCA First Team All-American and AVCA All-Region honoree Katie Larsen whose 558 kills, at that time, were a program single-season best during the rally-scoring era. She now ranks third behind Liz Glesne. 
 

• 2007 •Volleyball celebrate a three-set win versus CSB 2007 NCAA Tournament

St. Thomas Regional - St. Paul, Minn.
#23 Bethel 3, #24 Saint Benedict 0   [Box Score - Recap - Photo Gallery]
#8 Wis.-Whitewater 3, #23 Bethel 0    [Box Score - Recap - Photo Gallery]


The Royals were picking up steam down the stretch re-entering the Top 25 at the beginning of the NCAA Tournament following a two-week hiatus from the polls. Bethel entered a tough St. Thomas Regional which saw six nationally ranked teams enter the eight-team St. Paul pod. Bethel cruised through a win against No. 24 Saint Benedict in the opening round thanks to a 14-kill performance from Stephanie Schmidt. BU hung tight with #8 Wisconsin-Whitewater in the first two sets but dropped the third despite a 14-kill performance from All-American and MIAC Player of the Year Liz Glesne.


Bethel finished the 2007 season ranked No. 21 in the CSTV/AVCA Poll with a 24-9 overall mark. Glesne finished her career with 1,984 kills which ranks second in the MIAC. Her 566 kills during the '07 campaign is the program's second-best during the rally-scoring era, just behind her 2006 mark of 574 kills.

 

• 2011 •Volleyball 2011 NCAA Tournament at Concordia

Concordia Regional - Moorhead, Minn.
Bethel 3, Northwestern 0    [Box Score - Recap - Photo Gallery - Press Conference - Highlights]
#7 Concordia 3, Bethel 0    [Box Score - Recap - Photo Gallery - Press Conference - Highlights]


The chances weren't looking good following a MIAC Playoff semifinal loss, but Bethel saw its postseason hopes come to life earning an at-large bid into the field of 64 teams. The Royals left no doubt in the opener against Northwestern with a clean sweep where they hit .300 for the match behind a 13-kill performance from Nicole Wriedt who hit .429 for the match. In the second round, Bethel had its hands full with No. 7 Concordia - a team they had beat earlier in the regular season and the Cobbers only conference loss. The host Cobbers held BU to a minimal .067 hitting percentage while holding a .158 attacking percentage themselves in the three-set affair. 

Bethel finished the 2011 season with a 23-10 overall mark while finishing third in the MIAC with an 8-3 record. 




 

• 2015 •   Volleyball 2015 NCAA Midwest Region Champions   ​​​​​

UW-Whitewater Regional - Whitewater, Wis.
Bethel 3, #10 Hope 0   [Box Score - Recap - Photo Gallery - Press Conference]
Bethel 3, UW-Eau Claire 1    [Box Score - Recap - Photo Gallery - Press Conference]
Bethel 3, Northwestern 2   [Box Score - Recap - Photo Gallery - Press Conference]

Quarterfinals - Grand Rapids, Mich.
Hendrix 3, Bethel 2   [Box Score - Recap - Photo Gallery]


Unranked the entire season, Bethel volleyball made its presence known nationally right from the get go after earning an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament thanks to a strong strength of schedule. The Royals started off with a bang, dethroning defending national champion Hope College in straight sets. More history was made as BU defeated UW-Eau Claire putting the Royals into the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. It was a showdown with Northwestern with a trip to the Elite 8 on the line, UNW knocked off the host and No. 11 UW-Whitewater and then Wartburg to set up the showdown in Kris Russell Arena.

The unforgettable season would continue as the Royals earned a thrilling five-set victory over the Eagles bringing the region title back to Arden Hills.  In the words of head coach Gretchen Hunt the Royals were "resilient" in the quarterfinal matchup with Hendrix. Trading off tightly contested sets, it came down to a decisive fifth that saw the Warriors end Bethel's historic run. For the first time since 2001, BU tallied 25 wins and reached the MIAC Playoff championship match while boasting a 25-10 overall record and 9-2 in league play. 

The senior class of  Nicole Deberry, Hannah Grow, Kali Johnson, and Kristi Lauwers helped Bethel go 76-48 (.613) over a four-year span. The 2015 squad holds team records in hitting percentage during the rally-scoring era (.230) and most consecutive MIAC wins (8). Juniors Carlee Hoppe and Tegan LaBaerge earned AVCA All-American Honorable Mention honors while both were named to the AVCA First Team All-Region.
 

• 2021 •   Volleyball 2021 NCAA tourney   ​​​​​

Wartburg Regional - Waverly, Iowa
#21 Bethel 3, #22 UW-Stevens Point 0   [Box Score - Recap - Photo Gallery - Press Conference]
#3 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 3, #21 Bethel 0    [Box Score - Recap - Press Conference]

After falling to No. 25th-ranked Gustavus Adolphus in the MIAC Playoff championship match, the Royals earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Postseason field being placed in the Wartburg Regional which was arguably one of the toughest with six nationally ranked teams. Facing off against the Pointers for the third time that season, the Royals opened the tourney with a clean sweep of UWSP. In round two, BU ran into a tough C-M-S squad, who would eventually reach the national semifinals, falling in three sets.

The Royals conclude the year 23-7 overall posting a .767 winning percentage, the best winning mark since 1984. Bethel also finishes the season with a .230 hitting percentage which ties the program's single-season record during the rally scoring era.