The UCLA Bruins and Illinois Fighting Illini aren't just set to duel on December 31 in San Francisco in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. The two schools will also face off Saturday night for the NCAA Women's Volleyball National Championship. Here are the details of Saturday's NCAA title match:
Finalists: No. 9 UCLA (29-6), No. 3 Illinois (32-4)
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
TV: ESPN2 and ESPN3.com
Final Four: UCLA beat Florida State to advance to the title game, while Illinois beat USC.
History: This is the eighth national title game for UCLA, with the Bruins looking for their fourth championship to join 1984, 1990, and 1991; this is the first national title game for Illinois.
Coaches: UCLA head coach Michael Sealy is in its second season with the Bruins, while Kevin Hambly is in his third season at Illinois.
"It is surreal. It was the last thing we talked about last night. ‘Can you believe that there is only one more volleyball match this year and we are actually playing in it?’ It really hasn’t sunk in yet," Sealy said on Friday. "The same thing about coaching this program and the situation we are in. I just don’t have an answer for that. The magnitude, if there is a magnitude to this match, just hasn’t sunk in yet if it ever does."
For more UCLA volleyball news, be sure to read Bruins Nation.