Howard University, fresh off winning the 2021 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) volleyball championship, will face Ohio State, the No. 9 national seed, in the first round of the NCAA Volleyball Championship on Friday on the Buckeyes’ home floor in Columbus, Ohio.
 
Match time is set for 7 p.m. Broadcast information has yet to be announced.
 
The Bison (18-12) won their sixth MEAC title in seven years on Sunday, Nov. 21 with a 3-1 win over Delaware State. Howard has 13 MEAC volleyball titles overall, tied with Florida A&M for most in conference history. The Bison boast the Woodard twins – Bria Woodard was the Rookie of the Year and a First Team All-MEAC honoree, and Cimone Woodard was the MEAC Championship Outstanding Performer after earning Second Team All-MEAC accolades in the regular season.
 
Howard is making its first NCAA appearance since 2019, when the Bison made the last of five straight trips.
 
Ohio State (25-5), ranked No. 9 in the most recent American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Poll, has won seven straight matches after a straight-set win over Maryland on Friday. The Buckeyes wound up in a tie for third in the Big Ten regular-season standings, behind only Wisconsin and Nebraska.
 
The winner of Friday’s match will get the North Carolina-Tennessee winner in the second round on Saturday.