Nov. 28, 1999

MILWAUKEE - The most successful season in school history paid off as the UWM women's volleyball team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. This marks the second consecutive year that the Panthers have earned a berth in the tournament.

The Panthers (25-3) will take on Illinois (16-10) in Gainsville, Fla., on Thursday, Dec. 2, at 5 p.m. EST. The winner of the match will face the winner of the #2 Florida (30-2) and Liberty (22-9) on Friday at 7 p.m. EST.

"It's huge," said UWM head coach Kathy Litzau. "To earn it this way is almost more meaningful than winning the (MCC) tournament. To earn a spot like this means that we are one of the top teams in the country."

The Panthers are no stranger to Big Ten opponents and have beaten both Wisconsin and Purdue earlier this season.

"The team feels that they can win," said Litzau. "We've proven that we can beat Big Ten teams."

The bid also means a lot to the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. Two teams earned the right to go to the tournament for the first time ever, with Loyola earning the MCC's automatic bid after winning the conference tournament.

"This gives a lot of credibility to the conference," said Litzau. "This will help with scheduling and recruiting and getting top opponents."