LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team will return to postseason play for the fourth straight season after it earned a bid to the Women's National Invitational Volleyball Championship Sunday. The Rebels (23-9) will take on the New Mexico State Aggies (19-9) for the seventh time in program history in the first round of competition Friday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. (PT) at the McKale Memorial Center in Tucson, Arizona.

The University of Arizona and UT Rio Grande Valley round out the four-team field participating in Arizona, and will play each other Friday night at 5 p.m. (PT). The winners of the two First Round matches will meet Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. (PT) in the Second Round.

This will be the third time since 2018 that the Scarlet & Gray has participated in the NIVC. The Rebels advanced to semifinals during their 2018 campaign, but fell in four sets to the eventual champion Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. During their 2019 trip, the Rebels cruised into the second round with a 3-1 victory over the Kansas City Roos before falling to the South Dakota Coyotes 0-3.

The Rebels sit 23-9 overall and finished fourth in the Mountain West standings with a 12-6 conference mark.

MOUNTAIN WEST SENDS THREE TO POSTSEASON PLAY: In addition to UNLV, Colorado State will also represent the MW in the NVIC. Boise State is the lone MW squad in the NCAA Tournament and will face No. 11 BYU in Provo, Utah Friday, Dec. 3 at 9 p.m ET (6 p.m. PT).

SCOUTING THE FIRST & SECOND ROUND OPPOSITION:
- UNLV is 4-2 all-time against New Mexico State, 0-2 all-time against Arizona and has never faced UT Rio Grande Valley in the program's history.

- The first meeting between the Rebels and Aggies dates back to September 28, 1984 when the Rebels fell 3-1 only to come back victorious over the Aggies on September 29, 1984 3-2.

- The most recent matchup between NMSU and UNLV is September 2, 2017 where the Rebels fell in four sets 3-1.

- The Rebels have not yet had the pleasure of playing the Arizona Wildcats in the 21st century, as their only two meetings were in 1985 (0-3) and in 1997 (0-3).

- UTRGV enters the tournament after falling in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament to Grand Canyon 1-3 (25-27, 13-25, 22-25, 23-25). New Mexico also fell in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament to Utah Valley 2-3 (22-25, 25-17, 24-26, 25-21, 15-12).

- New Mexico State sits 19-9 overall and concluded WAC play in second (10-4).

- UTRGV sits 17-10 overall and concluded WAC play in fourth (8-4).

- Arizona sits 16-15 overall and concluded PAC-12 play in eighth (8-12).

NIVC TOURNAMENT FIELD: The tournament field consists of a total of 31 teams, with eight sites comprised of four teams apiece. The first and second rounds will be held Dec. 2-5, with the third round slated for Dec. 6-8, and the semifinals Dec. 8-11. The NIVC championship match will be held either Dec. 13 or 14.

The Arizona bracket is paired with the Stephen F. Austin bracket, which consists of Stephen F. Austin, Arkansas and Jackson State. Arkansas has a BYE for the first round and will automatically play in the second round.

A WINNING PROGRAM: Dating back to 2019, UNLV has gone 52-12 in its last 64 matches. The Rebels have won 23 of 32 this season and 21 of its last 28 after falling to the Broncos in the final game of the 021 MW Volleyball Championships. UNLV's only two non-conference losses this season were to two ranked teams (No. 7 BYU and No. 12 Purdue).

AMONG THE NATION'S LEADERS: Hayden leads the nation this season in aces per set at 0.70, 20th in points per set (5.04) and 46th in kills per set (4.03). Senior middle blocker Kate Brennan is also among the national stat leaders at 44th in hitting percentage (.377). 

ATOP THE UNLV CAREER CHARTS: Hayden is No. 1 all-time at UNLV in career kills with 1,880 and career service aces with 343 (227 ahead of second place). She has now moved into third in career digs with 1,365. She surpassed Maria Aladjova for No. 1 in kills earlier this season. Aladjova had 1,601 from 2004-07.

FIRST WIN OVER A RANKED TEAM SINCE 2016: Earlier this season the Rebels faced three straight ranked teams: at then-No. 15 BYU, vs. then-No. 8 Purdue and vs. then-No. 25 Washington State. UNLV's win over Washington State marked its first victory over a ranked opponent since defeating then-No. 22 Utah in the NCAA Tournament in 2016. UNLV also went 2-0 vs. Pac-12 schools during non-conference play this season.

OTHER NEWS & NOTES:

• UNLV came off a seven-match win streak heading into the final match of the 2021 Mountain West Volleyball Championships.

• Dating back to 2019, UNLV has gone 52-12 in its last 64 matches. The Rebels have won 23 of 32 this season and 21 of its last 28 after falling to the Broncos in the final game of the 2021 MW Volleyball Championships.

• UNLV returned nine letterwinners this season including Hayden, an All-American and MW Player of the Year, Brennan, an All-MW First Team performer. 

• Also returning to the squad from last season were Gabrielle Arretche-Ramos, Lauryn Burt, Shelby Capllonch (honorable mention All-MW), Arien Fafard, Jordyn Freeman, Paola Garcia and Paris Oliveira. There are eight newcomers, which include six freshmen and a pair of international student-athletes.

• UNLV is coming off a record-breaking season during the spring that saw the Rebels go undefeated in regular-season play (12-0) and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Rebels ended the season with a 13-1 overall record, falling to eventual national champion Kentucky.

• UNLV is led by fourth-year head coach Dawn Sullivan, who was honored following the Spring 2021 season with the MW's Coach of the Year award. 

• Hayden was named Honorable Mention All-America by the AVCA following Spring 2021 after being selected to the organization's Pacific South All-Region Team. She also was UNLV's first league Player of the Year in volleyball. 

• Hayden entered this season as the NCAA's active leader in aces (269) and aces per set (.674). Additionally, she sat 12th in total attacks (3,897), 13th in kills (1,484) and 23rd in kills per set (3.72).