Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

CAA Tournament Live Video / Live Stats

RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Delaware volleyball team will open up the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament with a semifinal showdown against George Mason at Virginia Commonwealth’s Verizon Wireless Arena on Monday, November 23 at 4 p.m.

After claiming a share of the regular season CAA title with VCU, Delaware enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed. It marks the program’s second-highest seed since joining the conference, trailing only the 2007 squad that won the outright regular season title and entered as the top seed.

The semifinals will pit the Hens against the No. 3 seed George Mason Patriots, while the top-seeded VCU Rams will host the No. 4 William & Mary Tribe at 7 p.m. on Monday. The finals are set for Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the tournament are $5 for adults and $3 for children under 17. Students from CAA institutions are admitted free with a valid student ID.

Delaware wrapped up the regular season with a 19-7 record, including a 12-2 mark in the CAA. This marks the team’s fourth straight appearance in the postseason after advancing to the semifinals in 2006 before capturing back-to-back titles in 2007 and 2008.

During the regular season, the Blue Hens topped George Mason in both of their meetings and defeated William & Mary in their lone match-up. The squad fell to Virginia Commonwealth in a close five-set contest on October 30.

The Blue Hens are led by a slew of standouts, including two-time All-American Stephanie Barry. The squad’s highly-decorated libero currently ranks second in the CAA with a 5.04 digs-per-set average and has served at the forefront of a defense that leads the conference in digs.

Along with Barry, Delaware has also benefited from another outstanding season from Michelle LaLonde. The reigning Defensive Player of the Week, she currently ranks eighth in the conference in blocking and ninth in hitting percentage. Her efforts have also helped UD hold its opponents to a league-low .139 hitting percentage.

On the offensive side, junior setter Jess Chason stands atop the league with a 9.96 assists-per-set average. Outside hitters Katie Dennehy and Kim Stewart have also chipped in with excellent campaigns as the two stars rank fifth and 10th in kills, respectively.