LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV Rebels (12-0) will resume play this week in the Cornhusker State for the first time in program history for the 2020 NCAA Volleyball Championship. The Rebels earned the trip to Omaha, Nebraska, and into the 48-team field as the automatic qualifier from the Mountain West after they won the regular-season title for the first time in program history.
 
The Scarlet & Gray opens play Wednesday (6:00 pm CT/4:00 pm PT) in the first round against the Illinois State Redbirds (16-5), the AQ from the Missouri Valley Conference. The winner of the UNLV-ISU contest will advance to face the No. 2 seed Kentucky Wildcats (19-1), the AQ from the Southeastern Conference, Friday night (6:00 pm CT/4:00 pm PT). Both matches will take place at the CHI Health Center Omaha Convention Center.
 
The second-round winner advances to the Sunday's NCAA Regional Semifinals (April 18) against either No. 15 seed Washington State, Western Kentucky or Jackson State.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
The NCAA Volleyball Championships' First and Second Round matches will be streamed live on ESPN3 as well as on the WatchESPN App. Links to video and statistics can be found online at UNLVRebels.com in the "schedule" section of the volleyball page as well as on the team's official social media accounts: @unlvvball (Twitter and Instagram) and @UNLVRebelVolleyball (Facebook).
 
REBELS IN THE POSTSEASON
After winning the Mountain West's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, UNLV will be making its fifth postseason trip in program history, and third in a row following back-to-back appearances in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship in 2018 and 2019. This year's showing will be the third for the Rebels in the NCAA Tournament, having previously participated in 2007 (0-1) and 2016 (1-1).
 
Overall, UNLV is 5-4 in postseason competition and 1-2 solely in NCAA Tournament play, with a 3-1, upset victory in the 2016 first round over No. 22 Utah.
 
HAYDEN NAMED AVCA ALL-REGION
UNLV's Mariena Hayden was tabbed to the American Volleyball Coaches Association's Spring 2021 Pacific South All-Region Team. Hayden's selection makes her the fourth Rebel in program history to be recognized by the AVCA – a total of six times, but only the second to claim All-Region Team status. In 2007, Lauren Miramontes was chosen to the All-West Region Team; however, she was All-West Region Honorable Mention two years earlier in 2005. Camille Cunningham (2008) and Bree Hammel (2014 and 2016) were also All-Pacific South Honorable Mention.
 
HAYDEN, SULLIVAN CLAIM INDIVIDUAL MOUNTAIN WEST HONORS
The UNLV volleyball team went undefeated in its Spring 2021 Mountain West campaign and claimed the conference's regular-season title for the first time in program history. The Rebels' performance on the court was rightfully recognized, as third-year head coach Dawn Sullivan was named the MW's Coach of the Year, while Mariena Hayden was selected as the MW's Player of the Year and placed on the All-Conference First Team alongside teammates Kate Brennan and Macy Smith. Rounding out UNLV's awardees, Shelby Capllonch earned Honorable Mention status.
 
MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONS
UNLV was crowned the Spring 2021 Mountain West regular-season champions following its 3-0 win at Fresno State and Boise State's 3-1 loss at Colorado State on March 5. Moreover, it's the first regular-season title won by the Rebels in the program's history, playing in the Big West, WAC and MW.
 
Prior to the Spring 2021 season, UNLV's best conference finish had been second in 1998, 2007 and 2014.
 
NCAA RPI
The NCAA released its initial RPI rankings on March 8 and UNLV came in first overall behind its perfect 7-0 record. Since that initial ranking, the Rebels stayed in the top five, moving to No. 3 on March 15 to No. 4 on both March 22 and March 29; however, they were No. 7 on April 3.
 
RECEIVING VOTES
UNLV has been mentioned in the "receiving votes" category of the American Volleyball Coaches Association's Top 25 Poll for the past seven weeks. After sweeps of San Diego State and Colorado State to start the Spring 2021 season, the Rebels made their first appearance in the Week 5 (Feb. 22) poll after they accumulated six points to share 35th place with Bowling Green.
 
Since the Week 6 poll, UNLV has steadily moved up nine spots, going from No. 33 (March 1) to No. 30 (March 8 – tied with Michigan) to No. 29 (March 15 – tied with Tennessee) to No. 28 (March 22) to No. 26 (March 29 and April 5).
 
The Rebels have only been ranked in the top 25 twice, with both instances occurring during the 2007 campaign (Nov. 5 and Nov. 12). In all, the Rebels received votes for 13 consecutive weeks that season, cracking the top 25 those two instances.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
>Illinois State: The Redbirds enter the postseason with a 16-5 overall record and an 11-3 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference ... The Redbirds won both the conference's regular-season title and tournament championship ... The Redbirds started the year 4-4, which included a 1-2 beginning to MVC play, but went 12-1 the remainder of the regular season ... The Redbirds enter the NCAA Volleyball Championship riding a nine-game win streak, with the past three victories coming in their MVC Tournament run ... The Redbirds are listed in the top-65 of 14 different NCAA categories, and rank as high as No. 15 in team attacks per set (39.62) and 17th in both assists per set (13.04) and digs per set (18.40) ... The Redbirds are also No. 23 in kills per set (13.97) ... The Redbirds are led by Kaylee Martin who has 297 kills (4.07 kps), 209 digs (2.86 dps) and 38 total blocks (0.52 bps); Sarah Kushner is tops on the team in aces with 33 (0.43 aps), and has also contributed 239 kills (3.14 kps), 223 digs (2.93 dps) and 37 total blocks (0.49).