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Women's Volleyball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Elite Eight Preview: No. 6 Golden Knights Meet Third-Seed Angelo State in Quarterfinals

NCAA DIVISION II ELITE EIGHT
No. 6 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (26-7) vs.  No. 3 ANGELO STATE BELLES (31-2)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, December 12, 2024  | 12 noon
LOCATION: Sanford Pentagon | Sioux Falls, S.D.
WATCH LIVE – ESPN+
LIVE STATS
NCAA ELITE EIGHT PAGE
NCAA DIGITAL PROGRAM
GANNON PRESS CONFERENCE
Gannon Media Notes
 
ELITE EIGHT SCHEDULE
Thursday, December 12 -- Quarterfinals
12 noon -- Match 1 – No. 3 Angelo State (31-2) vs. No. 6 GANNON (26-7)
2:30 p.m. -- Match 2 – No. 2 Central Oklahoma (33-2) vs. No. 7 San Francisco State (24-6)
5:30 p.m. -- Match 3 – No. 4 Lynn (30-3) vs. No. 5 Wingate (31-2)
8:00 p.m. -- Match 4 – No. 1 Ferris State (34-0) vs. No. 8 Bentley (25-6)
Friday, December 13 – Semifinals
5:00 p.m. – winner Match 1 vs. winner Match 2
8:00 p.m. – winner Match 3 vs. winner Match 4
Saturday, December 14 -- Championship
6:00 p.m. – winner Semifinal 1 vs. winner Semifinal 2 
All times Eastern

GANNON IN THE ELITE EIGHT
The Golden Knights are making their eighth appearance in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Prior to rally scoring, the Golden Knights lost in the quarterfinals in 1991, '92, and '93 with head coach Gerry Burbules at the helm. Gannon returned to the Elite Eight in 2017 under head coach Matt Darling and posted a 3-0 win over Regis to advance to the semifinals. In a tight match, Florida Southern edged the Golden Knights, 3-2. Gannon returned in 2019 and suffered a 3-1 setback to Nebraska-Kearney. Gannon reached the Final Four for a second time in 2021, upsetting No. 4 seed Hillsdale, 3-1, before losing to host and top-seeded Tampa in the semifinals.
 
1991 (No. 8 seed, Canyon, Texas)
vs. West Texas A&M – L, 0-3 (14-16, 8-15, 4-15)
1992 (No. 8 seed, Portland, Ore.)
vs. Portland State – L, 0-3 (6-15, 5-15, 4-15)
1993 (Marquette, Mich.)
vs. CSU Bakersfield – L, 0-3 (8-15, 7-15, 6-15)
2017 (No. 7 seed, Pensacola, Fla.)
vs. No. 2 Regis – W, 3-0 (25-20, 28-26, 25-17)
vs. No. 3 Florida Southern – L, 3-2 (25-16, 15-25, 23-25, 26-24, 12-15)
2019 (No. 7 seed, Denver, Colo.)
vs. No. 2 Nebraska-Kearney – L, 1-3 (25-19, 22-25, 17-25, 15-25)  
2021 (No. 5 seed, Tampa, Fla.)
vs. No. 4 Hillsdale – W, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-16)
vs. No. 1 Tampa – L, 1-3 (21-25, 20-25, 25-23, 18-25)
2022 (No. 5 seed, Seattle, Wash.)
vs. No. 4 Cal St. LA – L, 0-3 (11-25, 14-25, 18-25)
 
THE GANNON-ANGELO STATE SERIES
First Meeting

 
ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon women's volleyball team is making its third appearance in the Elite Eight in the last fours and eighth overall. On Thursday, December 12, the No. 6 seed Golden Knights will face No. 3 seed Angelo State at 12 noon in the first of four quarterfinal matches. The NCAA Division II Elite Eight takes place at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, SD, from December 12-14.
 
This is Gannon's fifth appearance at the Elite Eight under head coach Matt Darling. The Golden Knights earned the fifth trip thanks to an impressive showing in the Atlantic Regional this past weekend. They opened with a 3-1 win over a determined Shaw squad, then snapped West Virginia State's 14-match winning streak with a 3-0 sweep in the semifinals. Old Atlantic Region rivals Gannon and Wheeling met in the championship match. Wheeling won the first set, but Gannon prevailed in the next three to claim the Atlantic Regional championship.

Gannon has enjoyed great success under Darling and is making its 14th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Golden Knights have won the regional to advance to the Elite Eight in 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022 and now 2024 under Darling. He is wrapping up his 18th season at the helm and ranks as the all-time wins leader at Gannon with a 432-150 record.

The Golden Knights come in with a 26-7 record and have won eight of their last nine matches and 19 of their last 21. They were awarded the sixth seed when the NCAA seeded the Elite Eight and will face Angelo State, the number three seed, in the quarterfinals. The Belles come in riding a 19-match winning streak and own a 31-2 record. Angelo State handed Lone Star Conference regular champion West Texas A&M a 3-1 defeat in the LSC championship match for their 11th conference crown. They then swept through the South Central Regional, winning 3-0 over Colorado Christian and Dallas Baptist before a 3-1 triumph over No. 3 MSU Denver in the finals. It was the Belles second South Regional title.

Gannon is in search of its first national championship. The Golden Knights advanced to the semifinals in 2017 and 2021. This is the first meeting between Gannon and Angelo State.

BLEVINS, HALL, KOCH AND SORENSON NAMED AVCA ALL-AMERICANS
The AVCA announced its Division II All-American teams on Wednesday. Four Gannon players were named to the honorable mention All-American team. Journey Blevins (Richwood, Ohio/North Union) is now a four-time All-American. The senior outside hitter was a third team selection last year and was named an All-American twice while playing at Findlay. She was an honorable mention pick as a freshman and earned second team honors as a sophomore. Libero Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) and right side hitter Hailey Koch (Littleton, Col./Dakota Ridge) were named honorable mention All-Americans for the second straight year. Ali Sorenson (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way East), a middle blocker, earned All-American honors for the first time. In addition to the All-American recognition all four were All-Atlantic Region selections. Blevins is a four-time first-team honoree, while Hall earned the honors three times, and Koch is a two-time pick. This marks Sorenson's first honor. The D2CSC All-Atlantic Region team had Hall and Sorenson on the first team and Blevins and Koch on the second unit.

DARLING, HALL RECEIVE MAJOR PSAC AWARDS
Gannon came away with two of the major awards for the All-PSAC West awards. Matt Darling was voted the Coach of the Year for the sixth time while Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) was named the Defensive Athlete of the Year. She also won the award in 2022 and she is now a three-time All-PSAC West honoree. Gannon had five All-PSAC West honorees, all on the first team. In addition to Hall, Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) (setter), Journey Blevins (Richwood, Ohio/North Union) (outside hitter), Hailey Koch (Littleton, Col./Dakota Ridge) (right side) and Ali Sorenson (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way East) (middle blocker) were recognized.         

THREE GOLDEN KNIGHTS NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Gannon had three players named to the 12-member Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team. They included Journey Blevins (Richwood, Ohio/North Union), Hailey Koch (Littleton, Col./Dakota Ridge) and Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell).  Hall has now been named to the All-Tournament Team for the last three years, while Koch was named last year, as well.
 
TAKING A LOOK AT THE RECORD BOOK
Several Golden Knight have climbed in the record book this year. Most notable, Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) set the career record for digs earlier in the year. Her total now stands at 2,468. She has 658 digs this season, the second-highest season total.  She needs 11 digs to break the single season record of 668 set by Sara Crandall in 2017.  Hall has become the first GU player to have four consecutive 500-dig seasons, and she is the first Gannon player with three 600-dig seasons. Hailey Koch (Littleton, Col./Dakota Ridge) joined the 1,000-kill club in Gannon's quarterfinal win over Shaw. She now has 1,036 kills. In addition, she has 276 total blocks which ranks eighth in the career records. Teammate Ali Sorenson (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way East) is right ahead of her in seventh place with 299 total blocks.  Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) has 1,227 assists this season, which ranks eighth. That has boosted her career total to 3,057, good for sixth all-time. Journey Blevins (Richwood, Ohio/North Union) has boosted her career kills total to 1,759.  She has played two seasons at Gannon and has 869 kills as a Golden Knight. Before that Blevins played two seasons at Findlay. She is a three-time All-American. 
 
Career Records
Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) -- Digs -- 2,468 (1st)
Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) -- Assists -- 3,057 (6th)
Ali Sorenson (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way East) -- Total Blocks -- 299 (7th)
Hailey Koch (Littleton, Col./Dakota Ridge) -- Total Blocks -- 276 (8th)
 
Season Records
Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) -- Digs -- 658 (2nd)
Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) -- Assists -- 1227 (8th)
Ali Sorenson (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way East) -- Block Assists -- 122 (10th)

THUMBNAIL SKETCHES
No. 6 seed: Gannon Golden Knights (26-7)
Head Coach: Matt Darling (432-150, 18th year)
Atlantic Region champion
Conference, finish: PSAC Tournament runner-up
All-Americans:
Journey Blevins (Richwood, Ohio/North Union) (OH, Sr.) -- honorable mention
Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) (L, Sr.) -- honorable mention
Hailey Koch (Littleton, Col./Dakota Ridge) (RS, Sr.) -- honorable mention
Ali Sorenson (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way East) (MB, Sr.) -- honorable mention
All-PSAC West selections:
Head coach Matt Darling (PSAC West Coach of the Year)
Senior libero Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) (PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year, First Team)
Senior outside hitter Journey Blevins (Richwood, Ohio/North Union) (First Team)
Senior middle blocker Ali Sorenson (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way East) (First Team)  
Senior right side hitter Hailey Koch (Littleton, Col./Dakota Ridge) (Second Team)
Junior setter Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) (Second Team)
Statistical Leaders:
Kills: Hailey Koch (Littleton, Col./Dakota Ridge) -- 372; Journey Brown -- 367
Assists: Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) -- 1227
Blocks:  Ali Sorenson (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way East) -- 164
Digs:  Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) -- 658  
Team website

No. 3 seed: Angelo State Belles (31-2)
Head Coach: Chuck Waddington (409-139, 17th year)
South Central Regional champion
Conference, finish: Lone Star Conference Tournament champion
AVCA All-Americans:
Adeline Ortman (S, Gr.) – 1st team
Madi Parris (OH, So.) – 2nd team
Evelyn Torres (OH, Gr.) – 3rd team
Demi Carter (RS, Fr.) – National Freshman of the Year; honorable mention
Caleigh Enax (L, Sr.) – honorable mention
All-LSC selections:
Adeline Ortman (S, Gr.) – Setter of the Year; Academic Player of the Year; 1st team
Madi Parris (OH, So.) – 1st team
Evelyn Torres (OH, Gr.) – 1st team
Demi Carter (RS, Fr.) – honorable mention; All-Freshman Team
Caleigh Enax (L, Sr.) – Libero of the Year; 1st team
Sydney Thornton – honorable mention; All-Freshman Team
Statistical Leaders:
Kills: Madi Parrish -- 469
Assists: Adeline Ortman -- 1287
Blocks:  Sydney Thornton – 103
Digs:  Caleigh Enax -- 595  
Team website
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Players Mentioned

Bengisu Arslan

#10 Bengisu Arslan

S
5' 8"
Junior
Psychology and Criminal Justice
Journey Blevins

#21 Journey Blevins

OH
5' 11"
Senior
Business
Emma Hall

#6 Emma Hall

L
5' 11"
Senior
Accounting
Hailey Koch

#13 Hailey Koch

RS
6' 3"
Senior
Ali Sorenson

#15 Ali Sorenson

MB
6' 2"
Senior
Nursing

Players Mentioned

Bengisu Arslan

#10 Bengisu Arslan

5' 8"
Junior
Psychology and Criminal Justice
S
Journey Blevins

#21 Journey Blevins

5' 11"
Senior
Business
OH
Emma Hall

#6 Emma Hall

5' 11"
Senior
Accounting
L
Hailey Koch

#13 Hailey Koch

6' 3"
Senior
RS
Ali Sorenson

#15 Ali Sorenson

6' 2"
Senior
Nursing
MB