Being a tourney participant never gets old.
“You can’t take it for granted,” said Taylor Bransfield, who is in her sixth season due to injuries and will be making her fourth NCAA trip.
“With the ups and downs we’ve had this season, we knew our goal (wouldn’t change). It ended up working out, but a lot of hard work went into it.”
The Raiders (21-10) play Thursday at a time to be determined against the host Boilermakers (24-6), who finished tied for third in the mighty Big Ten. Baylor (17-9) and Arkansas State (22-8) also will play in the West Lafayette pod.
Nebraska (30-0), which only dropped one set in 20 league matches, is the No. 1 overall seed, while Pittsburgh (26-4) is fourth.
Both were Raider opponents this year.
The Cornhuskers rolled to a 25-16, 25-16, 25-10 win, but the Panthers dropped the first set at the Nutter Center before pulling out a 25-27, 25-18, 25-22, 25-11 victory.
“Coming off our conference tournament, we’re playing our best volleyball at the right time,” fourth-year coach Travers Green said.
“I’ve never questioned our ability to rise to the occasion. We’ll show up and be ready to compete.”
The Raiders met the Boilermakers in their first NCAA trip in 2019, earning the only at-large bid in the history of Wright State athletics.
It didn’t go well — Purdue prevailed 25-9, 25-22, 25-11 — but Green said: “I think it’s a different process when it’s your first time. We’ve been there a few times now.”
They’ve lost 3-0 in three of their four previous trips, all against volleyball behemoths. But they took a set off Louisville two years ago, falling 3-1.
Green said he expects a “physical, big, tall” opponent, but he added: “We have some things on our side, some offensive weapons.”
They also have a young team eager to embrace the challenge after missing out last year. Hosting the Horizon League tourney, they were bounced in the semifinals.
“We talk about it often — probably not enough — that we just have to enjoy the experience and be present in this moment,” Green said.
“You never know when you’ll have this opportunity again.”
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