ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – For the seventh time in program history and the first time since 2023, Gustavus has won the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Volleyball Playoff Championship.
The third-seeded Gusties defeated top-seeded Bethel, 3-0, on Saturday night at the Robertson Center Gym in Arden Hills.
Gustavus now heads to the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Tournament as the automatic qualifier from the MIAC.
FINAL RESULT
FINAL | CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 3 Gustavus 3
No. 1 Bethel 0
Set scores: 28-26, 25-11, 25-16
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Gustavus trailed by as many as six points in the first set (10-4) before rallying to win 28-26, with Greta Tompkins recording the final two kills. The Gusties then rolled in the second set, 25-11, and closed the match with a 25-16 third set.
- Logan Brent led Gustavus with 16 kills and 10 digs, while Tompkins added eight kills and 12 blocks (one solo, 11 assisted). Sahara Morken (22) and Macie Malchow (15) combined for 37 assists, and Ava Hahn had a team-high 14 digs.
- Gustavus hit .252 to Bethel's .092 and led in kills, 47-32, blocks, 14.0-6.0, and aces, 5-0. Bethel led in digs, 55-53. The Royals hit -.156 in the second set.
- Bethel's Peyton Howie and Grace Bathurst each had eight kills, and Cosette Carto added seven. Ellie Van Namen had 17 assists and 11 digs, and Grace Therrien led the Royals with 15 digs.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- With the victory, Gustavus earned the MIAC's automatic qualifier to the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Tournament. It will be the Gusties' 14th NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2025.
- The Playoff title is the seventh for Gustavus (2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2026), tying St. Thomas for the most in MIAC history.
- The Gusties are now 4-0 all-time against Bethel in the playoffs, with all four meetings coming in the championship match (2015, 2016, 2021, 2026).
- The Gusties won the title as the No. 3 seed, defeating No. 6 Carleton, No. 2 St. Olaf, and No. 1 Bethel.
- The MIAC Volleyball All-Playoff Team, selected by the six playoff participating coaches, will be announced on Monday, November 16.
PLAYOFF APPAREL
Official playoff and team champion apparel is available for online purchase via the MIAC Shop powered by UNRestricted MKTG. The online MIAC Shop features officially licensed short-sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeve t-shirts, and hooded sweatshirts to commemorate the 2026 conference tournament. The items available in this store are custom-decorated. Please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery. All apparel items are online-only, custom-made, and all sales are final.
NPI OUTLOOK
The NCAA Power Index (NPI) is used to select the 21 at-large bids for the 64-team NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Tournament after the 43 automatic qualifiers have been determined on November 14.
The most recent NPI rankings on November 13 list two MIAC women's volleyball teams in the NPI top 50 in NCAA Division III:
The NPI cut line in 2025 was No. 41.
NCAA TOURNAMENT
- The 64-team bracket for the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship will be revealed during the NCAA.com Selection Show on Monday, November 16, at 12:00 p.m. Central time.
- Regional competition is scheduled for Thursday-Saturday, November 19-21. The national quarterfinals will be played on Wednesday, December 2, followed by the semifinals on Thursday, December 3, and the national championship on Saturday, December 5, at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
2026 MIAC WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
| Quarterfinals | Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026 | 7:00 PM |
| No. 3 Gustavus 3, No. 6 Carleton 0 |
Box Score |
| No. 4 Saint Benedict 3, No. 5 Concordia 1 |
Box Score |
| Semifinals | Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026 | 7:00 PM |
| No. 1 Bethel 3, No. 4 Saint Benedict 1 |
Box Score |
| No. 3 Gustavus 3, No. 2 St. Olaf 1 |
Box Score |
| Championship | Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 | 7:00 PM |
| No. 3 Gustavus 3, No. 1 Bethel 0 |
Box Score |