HADLEY, Mass. - The Colby Mules are the top seed in the NESCAC Volleyball Championship for the second time in three seasons. The Mules earned a five-set victory over Bates in the regular-season finale to secure the No. 1 seed.

The NESCAC Volleyball Tournament begins on Saturday, November 7, with quarterfinal matches hosted by the higher seeds. Winners will advance to the semifinals on Friday, November 13, and the championship match is scheduled for Saturday, November 14. The highest remaining seed after the quarterfinals will host the remaining rounds.
 
All games will be streamed for free via the NESCAC NETWORK powered by NSN. The NESCAC NETWORK is available on the streaming apps for television (Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku), computers, and mobile devices (iOS, Android). Find the apps by searching for NESCAC Network in your device’s app store. Download the app and begin watching wherever you are.

No. 1 Colby (19-3, 8-2 NESCAC) vs. No. 8 Hamilton (10-9, 4-6 NESCAC)

• Colby is the No. 1 seed for the third time in team history and the second time in three seasons.
• The Mules are making their fifth straight tournament appearance and 15th overall.
• Colby has played in back-to-back championship matches, finishing as the NESCAC Runners-Up in 2024 and 2025.
• The Mules closed out the regular season going 9-1 over their last 10 matches. Six of the matches were 3-0 victories.
• Hamilton is back in the tournament field for the first time since 2023 and eighth time in team history.
• The Continentals are the No. 8 seed for the first time since 2021.
• Hamilton’s 10 wins are the most since the 2023 campaign. The Continentals went 3-1 over their last four matches.
• Colby swept Hamilton on October 16 in Waterville, Maine. The teams have only met once in the NESCAC Tournament, with the Mules winning the 2000 first-round match, 3-1.

No. 2 Wesleyan (19-2, 8-2 NESCAC) vs. No. 7 Conn. College (11-10, 4-6 NESCAC)

• Wesleyan is the No. 2 seed for the seventh time in team history and first time since 2021.
• The Cardinals have qualified for the NESCAC Tournament for 10 consecutive years and have been a top-four seed for nine of those appearances.
• Wesleyan looks to reach the semifinals for the ninth straight season.
• The Cardinals enter the tournament riding a seven-match win streak.
• Conn. College is the No. 7 seed for the second consecutive season.
• The Camels went 6-1 to wrap up the regular season, which included a five-set win over Hamilton to secure the No. 7 seed.
• Conn. College’s last semifinal appearance was in 2012, the same year the Camels advanced to the championship match.
• Wesleyan posted a 3-0 win at Conn. College on October 2. The NESCAC postseason series is tied at 1-1. The Cardinals evened the series with a 3-0 win in the 2021 quarterfinals.

No. 3 Tufts (18-7, 7-3 NESCAC) vs. No. 6 Bowdoin (15-9, 5-5 NESCAC)

• Tufts, the defending NESCAC Champion, has qualified for every NESCAC Tournament and is the No. 3 seed for the first time since 2021.
• The Jumbos won their last five matches to end the regular season.
• A quarterfinal win would send Tufts to the semifinals for the 18th  time in program history.
• Bowdoin is the No. 6 seed for the first time in team history and is making its 20th consecutive appearance.
• The Polar Bears won five of their last six matches of the regular season.
• Tufts and Bowdoin will meet for the second straight weekend after the Jumbos earned a 3-0 win on their home floor in the regular season finale. The quarterfinal match is a rematch of last season, but the teams are different seeds. The Jumbos improved to 6-3 all-time against Bowdoin in the NESCAC Tournament with a 3-0 win in the 2025 quarterfinals.

No. 4 Middlebury (16-8, 6-4 NESCAC) vs. No. 5 Williams (12-11, 5-5 NESCAC)

• Middlebury has qualified for every NESCAC Tournament since 1999 and owns six titles.
• The Panthers are the No. 4 seed for the first time since 2021 and are looking to reach the semifinals for the 12th time in program history.
• Middlebury posted back-to-back 3-0 wins over Conn. College and Trinity to secure a top-four seed for the 16th time in team history.
• With a 3-2 win over Amherst in the regular season finale, Williams earned the No. 5 seed for the first time since 2016. The Ephs have also qualified for every NESCAC Tournament since 1999.
• Williams looks to make it five straight trips to the semifinals and owns 11 NESCAC titles, the most by any conference school (last: 2014).
• Williams recorded a 3-1 win versus Middlebury on October 10. The quarterfinals are a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal, but the teams are different seeds. The Ephs improved to 7-1 against the Panthers with a 3-1 win last year.

Tiebrakers

• Colby and Wesleyan finished with identical records of 8-2. In head-to-head competition, Colby defeated Wesleyan to earn the No. 1 seed.
• Williams and Bowdoin finished with identical records of 5-5. In head-to-head competition, Williams defeated Bowdoin to earn the No. 5 seed.
• Connecticut College and Hamilton finished with identical records of 4-6. In head-to-head competition, Connecticut College defeated Hamilton to earn the No. 7 seed.