No. 12 VB Rematches with Pepperdine in NCAA Second Round Action

No. 11 (12-Seed) BAYLOR (19-6) vs. No. 20 PEPPERDINE (17-3)
Thursday, April 15, 2021 • 11 a.m. CT
2020 NCAA Tournament • Second Round
Omaha, Neb. • CHI Health Center Omaha
Live Stats: NCAA Scoreboard
WATCH: ESPN3 

STORYLINES

TOURNEY TIME

After a 19-6 regular-season and a second-place finish in the Big 12, Baylor volleyball enters its fifth-consecutive postseason, a program-best.

BU earned its ninth NCAA tournament bid in school history.

The Bears earned the No. 12 seed and a first round bye, awaiting the winner of UMBC and Pepperdine.

BU is a top-16 national seed for the third time in school history and second year in a row. The Bears were the No. 1 overall seed in 2019 and No. 12 in 2017.

Overall, Baylor is 10-8 all-time in NCAA tournament play after advancing to the National Semifinals for the first time in program history last season.

FRESH FACES

Between UMBC and Pepperdine, Baylor has only faced the Waves once in program history, coming earlier this spring in Waco.

The Bears defeated the Waves in five sets on Feb. 28 at the Ferrell Center.

UMBC earned an automatic bid by winning the America East conference, while Pepperdine secured an at-large selection as the No. 20-ranked team in the latest AVCA poll.

BIG 12 LIBERO OF THE YEAR

Shanel Bramschreiber was named the Big 12 Libero of the Year, Baylor's first such award in program history.

In her first season as the Bears' libero, Bramschreiber led the conference with 357 digs and ranked sixth in the league with 3.72 digs per set.

In 21 of Baylor's 25 matches, Bramschreiber recorded double-digit digs, including 13 outings with at least 15 and four instances above 20.

The junior Plano, Texas, native also received Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week accolades on Oct. 13, 2020, following a 39-dig weekend against Oklahoma.

COLLECTING CONFERENCE HARDWARE

In addition to Bramschreiber's award, Baylor also earned four All-Big 12 First Team nods.

The junior L/DS was a first-team choice for the first time in her career.

Sophomore OH Lauren Harrison was a unanimous selection after tallying 280 kills, 3.20 per set, and eclipsing double figures in kills 17 times in her first season as a Bear.

Sophomore MB Kara McGhee earned a spot on the first team for the first time in her career after collecting 118 blocks, the second-most in the Big 12.

Senior OH Yossiana Pressley was a unanimous first-team choice for the fourth time in her career. She led the Big 12 with 447 kills, 4.66 kills per set and 488 total points.
 

BEST IN THE SOUTHWEST

Baylor had four AVCA Southwest All-Region honorees in Shanel Bramschreiber, Lauren Harrison, Kara McGhee and Yossiana Pressley.

Bramschreiber, Harrison and Pressley were each named to the first team, while McGhee received honorable mention accolades.

Pressley is a four-time All-Region First Team member, while Bramschreiber, Harrison and McGhee each earned their first-career honor.