WALTHAM, Mass. – For the first time since a run of six straight appearances from 2004-09, the Bentley University women's volleyball team has earned a berth in consecutive NCAA Division II championships.

Coach Joey Pacis' team, 15-12 on the season, got the word Monday evening that they would be the number seven seed and will face Daemen College on Thursday, Dec. 2. Daemen, the regional's number two seed, is 22-7.

The eight-team event will be held at American International College's Butova Gymnasium with the Northeast-10 Conference champion Yellow Jackets the number one seed and host.

In the other first-round pairings, AIC will face eighth-seeded Southern Connecticut State, number three Stonehill will meet up with number six Jefferson, and New Haven will face Holy Family in the 4-5 match.

The regional semifinals will be Friday, December 3 and the regional championship will be the following day, with a trip to Tampa, Fla.  for the Elite Eight awaiting the regional champion.

The NCAA appearance is Bentley's 14^th all-time, the second highest total among current East Region teams, trailing only New Haven's 35.

Bentley will enter the NCAAs with a 15-12 record after falling to AIC this past Friday in the Northeast-10 semifinals.