Northwestern College has hosted one of the premier NAIA volleyball tournaments since the very first tourney in 1995. In its 16thyear of existence, the 2010 20-team tournament field features seven of the 24 teams that qualified for the 2009 NAIA volleyball championship site, including three teams, Northwestern, Lee (Tenn.) and Taylor (Ind.), that advanced out of pool play and into the 10-team single elimination tournament. The other four teams that qualified for national tournament play are Doane, Bellevue, Biola and 
Morningside. In addition, seven teams from this year’s Red Raider Classic field are ranked in the NAIA preseason top 20: Lee (4), Northwestern (5), Biola (6), Taylor (10), Bellevue (17), Morningside (18) and Doane (20). Four additional teams, Dordt, Oklahoma Baptist, Jamestown and Black Hills State, received votes in the preseason poll. This year’s tournament field quite possibly could be the strongest ever!
This year’s tournament not only features outstanding teams that boast a tradition of success, but also has several outstanding individual players as well. A total of 10 players who earned NAIA All-American honors will be on the court this weekend, including first team All-Americans Kaitlin Beaver (NOR) and Arlene Ferreira (Lee), who earned first team accolades. Hillary Hanno (NOR) and Kelsey Pritchard (TAY) were named second team and Valquiria Coboclo (Lee) was a third team selection. Five others, Betsey Brown (TAY), Kayla Carlisle (Lee), Dorinda Hibma (DOR), Susan Rollman (DOA) and Maureen Wardian (BEL), earned honorable mention honors.
