Drury University already can savor a season of unprecedented success in volleyball.
- A regular-season title in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
- Victories over seven nationally ranked opponents.
- A No. 1 ranking for several weeks in the Midwest Region of NCAA Division II.
And now, the Panthers have earned the biggest first of all — the top seed and home-court advantage in the eight-team NCAA Tournament regional that starts Thursday at O’Reilly Family Event Center.
Drury’s first opponent is eighth-seeded Hillsdale College, a team the Panthers defeated 3-1 on Oct. 12 with the help of senior Bentley Mara’s 18 kills and senior Bree Schmidt’s 31 digs.