The WSU volleyball team will make its 10th appearance at the NCAA Championship Tournament on Friday when it takes on No. 20-ranked Northern Iowa in a first-round game in Lincoln, Neb.

An 18-12 record (6-12 Pac-10) propelled the Cougars into the tournament for the first time since 2002, when they reached the Elite Eight. WSU joins seven other Pac-10 schools in the 64-team field.

After being considered on the “bubble” for an at-large bid to the championships, the Cougars finally saw their name come up in the selection show last Sunday. “We were excited, obviously,” senior outside hitter Jackie Albright said. “We kind of thought we were going to get in, but we were not really sure. And then we saw (the selection), and it was a relief.” In just his second year as head coach, Andrew Palileo has steered WSU to its first winning season since 2002, earning him Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors. One year after going 3-15 in conference play, Palileo and the Cougars held their own in the notoriously competitive Pac-10, suffering only one loss to an unranked team.

For the players who have endured some tough seasons with WSU, this year’s campaign has been a gratifying experience. “It is satisfying after four years of work, four years of everything the seniors have been through, and the rest of the team too,” Albright said. “Even the freshmen have worked hard. It is just a lot of hard work paying off.” But the players have their work cut out for them with Northern Iowa on the other side of the net. The Panthers are making their fourth consecutive trip to the tournament and brought home the Missouri Valley Conference title with an 18-0 conference record.

UNI (30-2 overall) ranks fourth nationally for kills per set (14.90) and ninth for assists (13.68). The Panthers are known for their size, but WSU feels up to the challenge.

“We play in the Pac-10, so nobody is bigger than what we have faced,” Albright said. “We are ready for anything.” The match will start at 2:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on KQQQ 1150 AM radio. No. 7-ranked Nebraska and Coastal Carolina will play immediately after, and the winners of the two matches will meet on Saturday.