![ISU Volleyball celebration](https://www.wjbc.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/389/2016/06/ISU-Volleyball-celebration-goredbirds.jpg)
By Greg Halbleib
NORMAL – Illinois State volleyball will make its 14th NCAA appearance after receiving an at-large bid.
The Redbirds, co-champions of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and runner-up in the league tournament, received the program’s fourth at-large bid Sunday night. Illinois State (25-7) will face Cincinnati (25-7) at 4:30 p.m. Friday in first round play in Milwaukee. The Redbirds are 3-13 all-time in the NCAA tournament and have advanced to the second round on three occasions, most recently in 2014.
Northern Iowa (24-9) earned the MVC’s automatic berth in the tournament with the Panthers’ four-set win over the Redbirds in Saturday’s conference tournament final in Springfield, Mo. UNI will face Pepperdine (21-8) in a first round match at 5 p.m. Friday in Madison, Wis.
Illinois (28-3) is the nation’s third seed and will host first and second rounds at Huff Hall. The Illini will take on Eastern Michigan on Friday at 7 p.m.
Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].