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Troy Volleyball will continue its 2021 season as the Trojans have been invited to compete in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) tournament, officials announced Sunday night.

This is the second consecutive year the Trojans have qualified for the NIVC after Troy defeated North Carolina A&T in the first round but fell to Georgia Tech in the second round of the 2019 tournament. There was no tournament during the 2020 season due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.

The Trojans, who will be hosting the first round of the tournament, will play Middle Tennessee on Friday, December 3. At 7:30 pm from Trojan Arena. Before the Trojans get set to play, North Florida and UNC Greensboro will be playing one another at 5:30 pm, with the winner of the two matches set to face one another on Saturday, December 4 at 2 pm.

“We are excited to be playing in the NIVC again this year and are looking forward to hosting some great post-season volleyball matches in Trojan Arena,” head coach Josh Lauer said. “The field is extremely competitive, and I’m thankful that our team can represent the Sun Belt in the NIVC. This is a tremendous opportunity for our players and fans, and I’m extremely thankful for their support and the continued support of our administration. I can’t wait for our Troy Volleyball family to fill up Trojan Arena this weekend.”

Troy heads into the tournament finishing the season 17-12. Thirty-one teams will make up the NIVC field. This is the fourth edition of the NIVC since its reboot through Triple Crown Sports; the event previously ran from 1989-95. Previous champions of the current NIVC are Georgia Tech (2019), Iowa State (2018), and Ole Miss (2017).

The 2021 NIVC features Round 1 and 2 action from Dec. 2-5, with Round 3 scheduled for Dec. 6-8. The semifinals will be held Dec. 8-11, and the championship match is played on Dec. 13 or 14.