BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – West Virginia State University, the 2024 Mountain East Conference tournament champions, and Wheeling University open NCAA Atlantic Region tournament play on Thursday at the Hagerty Family Events Center in Erie, Pennsylvania.
 
No. 3 Wheeling (25-10) faces No. 6 Pitt-Johnstown (19-9) to open the action at 11 a.m. No. 2 Indiana University of Pennsylvania (23-8) will face No. 7 Shepherd (24-5) at 1:30 p.m. Host Gannon (23-7) will play No. 8 Shaw (30-4) at 4:30 p.m. WVSU (23-9), the No. 5 seed, will face No. 4 Clarion (15-11) at 7 p.m. to conclude the day’s action.
 
The semifinals will be held Friday starting at 5 p.m. The semifinal winners will meet Saturday at 7 p.m.
 
Wheeling enters NCAA Atlantic Region play after having its 11-year run as the MEC tournament champion ended by West Virginia State. The Cardinals will look to advance behind the play of all-region selections Riley Kindall and Karly Niesen, each of whom made the first team, and Mady Winters, an honorable mention pick. Kindall and Niesen were also All-MEC first team selections this season, while Winters was honored on the second team along with teammate Katie Wilking. Olivia Batch was named the MEC Freshman of the Year.
 
West Virginia State is on a 13-match winning streak entering Atlantic Region play after winning the South Division and winning three matches in three days to wrestle the MEC tournament crown away from Wheeling. First-year head coach Avery Moore was named the MEC Coach of the Year, while setter Kiersten Eggleton was named the MEC Player of the Year. Eggleston was joined on the MEC all-conference first team by teammate Hannah Steele. Outside hitter Maureen Mathews, outside hitter/middle blocker Valencia Wilder, libero Morgan Caba, and outside hitter Baby Moleni were all second team selections on the MEC all-conference team.
 
NCAA DIVISION II ATLANTIC REGION
Thursday — Quarterfinals
11 a.m. No. 3 Wheeling (25-10) vs. No. 6 Pitt-Johnstown (19-9)
1:30 p.m.: No. 2 Indiana (Pa.) (23-8) vs. No. 7 Shepherd (24-5)
4:30 p.m.: No. 1 GANNON (23-7) vs. No. 8 Shaw (30-4)
7 p.m.: No. 4 Clarion (15-11) vs. No. 5 West Virginia State (23-9)

Friday — Semifinals
5 p.m.: Wheeling/UPJ winner vs. IUP/Shepherd winner
7:30 p.m.: Gannon/Shaw vs. Clarion/W.Va. State winner

Saturday
7 p.m.: Semifinal #1 winner vs. Semifinal #2 winner