OSHKOSH, WI — The University of La Verne Leopards squad traveled over 2,000 miles Tuesday to prepare for their first NCAA Playoff game since 2016.

Watch Live | Digital Program | Bracket

The Leopards will play on Thursday against Otterbein University (23-8) from Westerville, Ohio at 9:30 a.m. (PST). All games of the Oshkosh Regional will take place at Wisconsin-Oshkosh's Kolf Sports Center. All games will be live-streamed. Tickets for the regional event will be cash only. The ticket window will open one hour before the first match of each day and remain open until after the final match of the day begins. Single-Session (one day) and All-Session (all three days) tickets are available.

The No. 20 Leopards earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after falling to No. 8 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the SCIAC Postseason Tournament Championship game. Otterbein qualified after winning the Ohio Athletic Conference title.

"It feels great to be recognized by the NCAA for the hard work we've put in this year. We're grateful for the opportunity to get to compete with the best in the nation at our level. Making the tournament lets this team know that what we are doing is moving the needle in the right direction. La Verne has a huge past and legacy and this group is mindful of that as they create their own name and brand of La Verne volleyball," said University of La Verne head coach Jeff Hendershot,

The other six teams in the Oshkosh Region are Greenville University (IL), which qualified as the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament winner. No. 12 Calvin University (MI) (22-7) qualified as an at-large bid. No. 18 Gustavus Adolphus College (MN.) (25-6) earned its way as the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions. 

No. 13 North Park University (IL) (25-6) qualified as the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin tournament winners. East Texas Baptist University (25-3) earned its spot after winning the American Southwest Conference. The host Titans (34-1), the No. 3 ranked team in the nation, won a spot as an at-large bid.

The winner between the Leopards and Cardinals will face the winner of North Park and East Texas Baptist on Friday at 2:30 p.m. (PST). The final two remaining teams in the regional will play on Saturday at 3 p.m. (PST) for the chance to advance in the tournament.

The Leopards have not faced any of the seven teams in the regional this season.

La Verne is led by its four All-SCIAC players, headlined by SCIAC Offensive Athlete of the Year Mya Ray. The sophomore enters the week with 449 kills and 4.73 kills per set. 

Fellow First Team All-SCIAC recipient Malia Capistrano heads into the tournament ranked eighth in the nation in assists per set with 10.42. The Leopards as a squad rank third in the country with 13.13 assists per set. 

All-SCIAC honorees Lauren Gott and Ayana Mier will be counted on to make an impact at the net.