Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Valparaiso University will make its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance close to home next Friday, May 12, as the Crusaders head to South Bend, Ind. to face #2 Notre Dame.

The Crusaders, Mid-Continent Conference regular season and tournament champions, earned the automatic bid to the tournament. Notre Dame did the same by winning the Big East Conference tournament.

Valpo (15-7, 8-0 Mid-Con) enters the NCAA Tournament having won six straight matches and 11 of its last 12 contests overall. Notre Dame (24-1) has won eight straight, with the Fighting Irish's lone defeat this season coming 4-3 to Vanderbilt.

The winner for the Valpo-Notre Dame contest will meet the winner of Michigan (16-7) and Nebraska (17-9) on Saturday, May 13. Times of all matches will be announced later in the week.

Valpo faced Northwestern in last year's first round, falling 4-0 to the Wildcats.