The UT Dallas volleyball team won the American Southwest Conference championship in 2008 and 2009.
All three primary UT Dallas fall sports teams will be competing for league championships this weekend in the American Southwest Conference championship tournaments.
The women’s soccer team and volleyball team travel to Abilene on Thursday for three-day championship tournaments hosted by Hardin-Simmons University. The Comets men’s soccer team heads to Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss., for a Friday afternoon semi-final match after earning a quarterfinal bye.
Only the league’s top six teams qualify for the ASC championship tournaments, with the winner declared the 2012 ASC Champion and earning the conference’s automatic bid into the national NCAA Division III Championship playoffs.
The UT Dallas volleyball team has qualified for the ASC Championship Tournament every year since the program began in 2004, and won ASC titles in 2008 and 2009. The Comets won their seventh consecutive ASC East Division title this season, and will receive a first-round bye before opening play in the second round at 5 p.m. Thursday against the winner of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Texas Lutheran University. To win another championship, UT Dallas will have to survive a three-day, double-elimination format that concludes with a championship game Saturday afternoon.
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Follow the Comets at: cometsports.utdallas.edu
The UT Dallas men’s soccer team came within a 1-0 loss to Mississippi College on the final day of the regular season of finishing as the ASC’s top team and hosting this year’s tournament. The Comets, who won ASC Championships in 2004 and 2007, have qualified for the tournament 10 of the last 11 years. UT Dallas will be awaiting the winner of UT Tyler and Schreiner for its semifinal opponent in a 2 p.m. match Friday. A victory would propel UT Dallas to the 1 p.m. championship match Sunday afternoon.
The UT Dallas women’s soccer team (10-4-2) is in familiar territory with its 11th consecutive ASC Tournament appearance. The Comets have advanced to the title game of the tournament seven times, including last season, and won league titles in 2002 and 2004. UT Dallas enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed and will open the tournament with an 11 a.m. quarterfinal match with fifth-seeded Concordia University on Thursday. With continued wins, UT Dallas would play in an 11 a.m. semifinal on Friday, and potentially the 1 p.m. championship match Sunday afternoon.
Presidents Affirm Commitment to American Southwest Conference
Following the announcement of membership changes projected to occur by the conclusion of the 2013-14 academic year, presidents at 11 American Southwest Conference institutions expressed a strong commitment to the conference and its future.
“I have visited with each president at the member institutions that will maintain membership in the ASC following the 2013-14 academic year, and each has stated a desire to continue participation in NCAA Division III athletics and continue membership in the ASC,” said Dr. Randy O'Rear, president of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and chair of the ASC Council of Presidents.
Committed American Southwest Conference members for fall 2014 include Concordia University Texas, East Texas Baptist University, Hardin-Simmons University, Howard Payne University, LeTourneau University, Louisiana College, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, University of the Ozarks, Sul Ross State University, University of Texas at Dallas and University of Texas at Tyler.
“The presidents value the ASC, Division III and the opportunities each provides students at our institutions,” said Dr. Rod Mabry, president of the University of Texas at Tyler and vice chair of the ASC Council of Presidents.
Founded in May 1996, the American Southwest Conference sponsors championships in 16 sports and provides programs for professional development, student-athlete well-being and enhanced championship experiences for its students and campus staff.