WICHITA, Kan. ? The Wichita State volleyball team will travel to Austin, Texas, to face Rice in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Volleyball Tournament. The Shockers (29-1) will play Rice (23-7) at 4:30 p.m. on Fri., Dec. 5 at Gregory Gym, while host Texas (25-3) will face Lamar (17-11) at 6:30 p.m.

The winner of the 4:30 p.m. match will play the winner of the 6:30 p.m. match at 4:30 p.m. on Sat., Dec. 6.

It is the Shockers' third-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the second at-large berth in school history. WSU traveled to Lincoln, Neb., in the 2007 and 2004 NCAA Volleyball Tournaments. In 2007, the Shockers went 1-1 with a win over Western Kentucky and a loss to Nebraska and in 2004, WSU went 1-1 with a win over Nevada and a loss to Nebraska.

-Wichita State-