Kansas State Athletics
MANHATTAN, Kan. – For the first time since 2021, K-State volleyball was awarded an at-large bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, as the committee announced the 64-team bracket during the NCAA Volleyball Selection Show on ESPN Sunday night. This is the program's 19th NCAA Tournament appearance in school history and first under head coach Jason Mansfield.
K-State (17-9, 10-8 Big 12), which finished in a four-way tie for sixth in the Big 12 standings, will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska to face San Diego (25-4, 18-0 WCC) on Friday, December 5 at 4:30 p.m. in the opening round at John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
"I'm really proud of this team and what they've accomplished this season," said third-year head coach Jason Mansfield. "Anytime you make the NCAA Tournament, it's special. It's something we've wanted for the last couple of years. But I think this team earned it, and the season we've had – with the wins we've had – kind of speaks for itself."
K-State is 15-18 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and has reached the Regional Semifinal (Sweet 16) three times. Friday's contest marks the second meeting between the Wildcats and Toreros in the postseason, first facing each other in the second round of the 1997 NCAA Tournament. USD leads the all-time series 2-0, with the squads last meeting in 2010.
"I'm really happy for the seniors that they get an opportunity to compete in this tournament, and we don't need to go very far. A little bus trip over to Lincoln will be great. San Diego is a very good team that went undefeated in its conference and has a long tradition of winning. They're used to being in the tournament, and they'll be ready to compete," Mansfield said.
"We play in arguably the best conference in the country, and it's prepared us to play in the tournament. We're looking to make some noise and compete."
Nebraska (30-0, 20-0 Big Ten), the No. 1 overall national seed, will host Long Island (15-17, 10-4 NEC) following the Wildcats and Toreros match with the winners facing each other on Saturday, December 6 at 7 p.m.
A limited number of tickets to the first and second round matches in Lincoln go on sale at Huskers.com/Tickets on Sunday night at 7 p.m. First and second round matches will be streamed on ESPN+.
The NCAA Championship will take place at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., December 18 and 21.