Marquette volleyball in 2023 NCAA Tournament: schedule, what to know about Eastern Illinois, the Golden Eagles' first-round opponent

Earlier this week the Marquette volleyball team repeated history by placing four players on the first team of the Big East all-conference squad for the second straight year.

Seniors Aubrey Hamilton and Carsen Murray and juniors Hattie Bray and Yadhira Anchante made the Big East first team.

A year ago, those four players helped the Golden Eagles reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Can they lead them to the second weekend of the tournament again?

MU (20-10) received a No. 6 seed and begins tournament play with first- and second-round games Thursday and Friday in West Lafayette, Indiana.

If they get through the first weekend, the Golden Eagles could be headed to the UW Field House in Madison for the second week of the tournament. The Golden Eagles were placed in the portion of the bracket where Wisconsin is the top seed, and if UW advances to the second weekend it will host.

Who does the Marquette volleyball team face in the NCAA Tournament?

The Golden Eagles face Eastern Illinois at Purdue University in West Lafaylette, Indiana.

What time will the Marquette volleyball team play?

3:30 p.m. Thursday at Holloway Gymnasium.

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How did Eastern Illinois qualify for the NCAA Tournament?

The Panthers (28-4) won their first regular-season conference title since 1998 but earned their first NCAA Tournament berth since 20021 by winning the Ohio Valley Conference tournament. They swept (in order) Little Rock, Southern Indiana and Southeast Missouri State.

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Who are Eastern Illinois’ top players?

Senior outside hitter Giovana Larregui Lopez, the two-time conference player of the year, averages a team-high 4.02 kills per set while hitting .304. Natalie Mitchem, a transfer from Ball State, is next with 3.51 kills per set and a .350 hitting percentage. Those players were first-team all-conference picks, as were sophomore setter Catalina Rochaix and senior libero Christina Martinez Mundo.

Who could Marquette volleyball face in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament?

If Marquette advances it will face the winner of Purdue-Fairfield at 6 p.m. Friday. Those teams play their first-round match at 6 p.m. Thursday. Here's a look at the Golden Eagles’ potential second-round opponents in NCAA Tournament:

Purdue (21-8)

The Boilermakers finished third in the Big Ten and tied for the No. 12 spot in the final regular-season coaches poll. The team’s résumé includes wins over Kansas, Penn State, Wisconsin and Marquette, seeded teams that are in the Boilermakers' portion of the bracket. They beat Marquette in five sets Sept. 1, fighting off four match points in the fourth set before coming back to win.

Fairfield (22-6)

The Stags won their fifth straight MAAC regular-season title and scored four-set wins over Rider and Quinnipiac to clinch the automatic berth by winning the conference tournament. The team has won seven straight matches heading into the tournament.