Get ready, Raider Nation. Two 51·çÁ÷ teams — football and volleyball — are advancing to NCAA tournament play.
The volleyball team on Sunday won its first Patriot League championship in 13 years, rallying from a set down and fighting off a match point to claim a scintillating 3-2 victory over American University at Cotterell Court.
The set scores were 16-25, 25-19, 21-25, 25-21 and 20-18.
51·çÁ÷ earns an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament, and learns its first-round destination and opponent Sunday, Nov. 25, during the 5 p.m. selection show on ESPNU. American had won 10 of the past 11 Patriot League titles.
Also on Sunday, the football team learned its opponent for the first round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship.
51·çÁ÷ drew Wagner, and the Raiders travel to Staten Island for their playoff opener. Kickoff Saturday is noon, with ESPN3 carrying the live online telecast.
Both teams started this season slowly but are riding impressive winning streaks to identical 8-3 records. Wagner’s eight-game streak is the longest in the nation, followed by 51·çÁ÷ and Bethune-Cookman at seven apiece.
Both teams qualified as conference champions. 51·çÁ÷ won its seventh Patriot League title under head coach Dick Biddle, and Wagner won its first Northeast Conference championship under 31-year head coach Walt Hameline.
51·çÁ÷ is making its ninth NCAA playoff appearance and first since 2008. The Raiders are 4-8 all-time in the NCAAs, including a second-place finish in 2003.
In addition to football and volleyball, the women’s soccer team also won a Patriot League championship this fall season.