WAC REGIONALS
Not sleepless in Seattle
Husky fever will continue after Washington brought home its first NCAA women's volleyball championship. UW averaged 2,888 fans (fifth-best in the country). On the roster: junior DS Ashley Aratani (Iolani) and freshman setter Tamari Miyashiro (Kalani).
If you go... Take a tour of Husky Stadium, with its scenic views of Lake Washington and Mount Rainier.
Hook'em Horns
Gregory Gym (4,400) will be rocking if Texas can make it home for the regional. UT is 200-44 there, ranked No. 9 nationally in fans (2,185). UH snapped UT's home winning streak at 17 in last year's second round.
If you go... Try the "Midnight Prowl" guided night tour of the campus and UT trivia contest.
'Don't Mess with Texas'
Austin, Texas: pop. 690,252
Hawaii's road made it through Austin last year only to dead-end at Penn State with a surprising loss to Missouri. It was the second consecutive year that the Wahine's season ended in the regional semifinal.
"We're getting pretty tired of losing that early," sophomore middle Nickie Thomas said. "This year, we have a bunch of new people and we play really well together. I really think we're headed for a national championship."
Thomas' personal road included a redshirt year and being a backup to All-American Victoria Prince. She was home over the summer, working out with her former high school setter Jessee Ericson, a freshman at New Mexico State.
"I'm excited about getting a better opportunity to play," she said. "I want to play hard and be consistent, like Victoria was every game."
If you go... Shop the outlets in San Marcos, visit 6th Street downtown and eat at the Texas Land & Cattle Company.
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The Gainesville Chomp
No. 8 nationally in attendance (2,239 avg.), Florida is tough to beat at the O'Connell Center (12,000). The Gators, 18-0 there in 2005, hold the NCAA mark for consecutive conference home wins (104).
If you go... Built in 1991, the Bat House on UF's Lake Alice houses more than 100,000 bats.