The North Idaho College Cardinals volleyball team was seeded seventh for next week's NJCAA tournament at Missouri State-West Plains in West Plains, Mo., which starts on Thursday.

NIC (22-5) will face 10th-seeded Hutchinson Community College (27-8) of Kansas in the opening round. NIC advanced by defeating fifth-ranked Salt Lake 25-23, 23-25, 25-18, 26-24 in the semifinals of the Region 18 tournament in Twin Falls.

"We're extremely excited to get there," NIC coach Kandice Gregorak said. "We knew getting there would be tough, but once we got there, we'd be in a good position because our (Scenic West Athletic) conference is so tough."

CSI (third), Salt Lake (fifth), NIC (eighth) and Snow (20th) received votes in the final regular season poll.

"Just playing those teams day-in and day-out was good for us," Gregorak said. "Once we get there, I think we'll be in great position."

Of the other teams in the field, NIC beat Central Florida in five sets at the CSI tournament and Western Nebraska at the Salt Lake tournament in four. Barton, a team that NIC swept at the CSI tournament, defeated Hutchinson in five.

"That was after a huge match against Central Florida," Gregorak said. "It was a tough, mentally-draining match, but we were able to beat them (Barton) in three. I think we've got a good chance against anyone in this tournament. Both CSI and Salt Lake have prepared us to place pretty high at nationals. It's all going to be about our mentality and how we go into it. We know each game is going to be point for point and we're not going to have an easy game. I hope the girls are up for the challenge."

Southern Idaho (29-1), which defeated NIC in the Region 18 tournament championship match, enters the tournament as the top seed and will face No. 16 Faulkner State (Ala.) in its opening match.

"You always want the team in your region to win," Gregorak said. "The way the brackets are, we won't see them until the finals and it really speaks highly for them to be the top seed. I thought CSI should have been No. 1 the entire season. It’s pretty cool the two Idaho teams are going and we hope to be playing them in the championship game.”

All matches will be shown live on NJCAA TV.

NJCAA TOURNAMENT

at Missouri State-West Plains

Times PST

Thursday, Nov. 15

FIRST ROUND

Match 1 — Iowa Western (43-2) vs. Temple College (Texas) (22-17), 7 a.m.

Match 2 — Central Florida (33-6) vs. Western Texas (26-8), 7.

Match 3 — North Idaho (22-5) vs. Hutchinson (Kan.) (27-8), 9.

Match 4 — Western Nebraska (37-2) vs. Wallace State (Ala.) (33-6), 9.

Match 5 — Southern Idaho (29-1) vs. Faulkner State (Ala.) 27-7, 11 a.m.

Match 6 — Hillsborough (Fla.) 27-12) vs. Missouri State-West Plains (25-9), 11.

Match 7 — Tyler (Texas) (29-5) vs. Redlands (Okla.) (23-9), 1 p.m.

Match 8 — San Jacinto-Central Texas (32-2) vs. Casper (Wyo.) 23-17, 1.

SECOND ROUND

Match 9 — Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2, 3:30.

Match 10 — Winner Match 3 vs. Winner Match 4, 3:30.

Match 11 — Winner Match 5 vs. Winner Match 6, 5:30.

Match 12 — Winner Match 7 vs. Winner Match 8, 5:30.