SAN DIEGO – San Diego Mojo draft picks Devyn Robinson and Leyla Blackwell are moving on to the NCAA Volleyball Championship Regionals after their team’s posted a pair of victories during the opening weekend of the tournament. Robinson is an opposite/middle blocker with the Wisconsin Badgers who the Mojo selected in the first round of the 2024 Pro Volleyball Federation Draft and Blackwell is a middle blocker for the Nebraska Cornhuskers who San Diego selected in the fourth round.
Both Wisconsin and Nebraska advanced to the Sweet 16 and will play in the NCAA Regional semifinals hosted by the Nebraska on Friday at the at Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Neb. Should the Badgers and Huskers win their regional semifinal matches, the squads would square off in the regional final for an opportunity to advance to the Final Four.
Robinson and the Badgers, the No. 2 seed in the Bottom Right (Nebraska Quarter) of the NCAA backet, opened the tournament at home with a sweep of Fairfield on Thursday at UW Field before topping Georgia Tech in four sets on Saturday. Robinson tallied six points with five kills and two block assists against Fairfield, then scored 10 points versus Georgia Tech courtesy of eight kills, one solo block and two block assists. Her solo block against the Yellow Jackets was the 500 block of her career. Wisconsin will face the Texas A&M Aggies on Friday at 4 p.m. PT.
Blackwell’s Huskers, the No. 2 overall seed and the top-seed in the Bottom Right (Nebraska Quarter) of the NCAA backet, posted a pair of sweeps in the first two rounds at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Nebraska kicked off their tournament yielding just 29 points to Florida A&M, the fewest points a Husker opponent has ever scored in the rally-scoring era, then followed that performance with a three-set victory over Miami (FL). Blackwell collected six points on five kills and two block assists in the opening-round win over the Rattlers. Next up, the Huskers will face Dayton on Friday with the match beginning 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Wisconsin-Texas A&M match.
Maya Tabron and Elise McGhee, the Mojo’s other two 2024 PVF draft selections, also competed in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the second round of play before falling short of moving on to the regionals.
Tabron, San Diego’s third round selection, and the SMU Mustangs hosted Wichita State last Thursday night, topping the Shockers in three sets, before falling in four sets to the Missouri Tigers the following night. Against Wichita State, Tabron had a match-leading 14 kills, hitting .357 with nine digs and three blocks. She had another solid outing against Missouri, posting a double-double, her 13th of the season, with14 kills and a team-leading 11 digs while also adding three blocks.
McGhee, who was selected by the Mojo in the fifth round of the draft, also earned an opening round win as she and the Baylor Bears swept Wofford at home on Thursday, only to fall in the second round to Dayton in a thrilling five-set match. McGhee was stellar in the opening-round win over the Terriers, breaking her own Baylor record for most aces in a tournament match with six to lead the team. She finished the match with 14 points overall, adding eight kills while also chipping in with four digs. Against the Flyers, McGhee had 11 kills and five digs, finishing with 12.5 points.
An interactive 2024 NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament bracket can be found HERE.
The Mojo will host a National Championship watch party on Sunday, Dec. 22 at Union Kitchen + Tap in Pacific Beach.
San Diego opens its 2025 home schedule at Viejas Arena on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 7:05 p.m. against the Orlando Valkyries. The Mojo will play all 14 home matches at Viejas Arena on the campus of SDSU, as well as 14 road matches during the 2025 campaign.
Fans can secure their Mojo Season Membership HERE. For more information contact the team at tickets@sandiegomojovb.com or call (619) 984-6656 (MOJO).
2024 NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament Schedule
- First and second rounds: Thursday, Dec. 5 through Saturday, Dec. 7
- Regionals: Thursday, Dec. 12 through Sunday, Dec. 15
- National semifinals: Begin at 3:30 p.m. PT on Thursday, Dec. 19 on ESPN
- National championship: 12 p.m. PT on Sunday, Dec. 22 on ABC
Live stream links to the NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournament Regional semifinal matches
(all times Pacific)
Friday, Dec. 13
- No. 6 Texas A&M vs. No. 2 Wisconsin, 4 p.m. PT
- No. 5 Dayton vs. No. 1 Nebraska, 30 min. after Texas A&M-Wisconsin
Every match can be streamed on ESPN+.
ABOUT SAN DIEGO MOJO
The San Diego Mojo are a women’s professional volleyball team in San Diego, Calif. and is an inaugural member of Pro Volleyball Federation, the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. The Mojo play their home matches at Viejas Arena on the campus of San Diego State University.
ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION
Pro Volleyball Federation is the leading professional volleyball league in the United States. PVF sets the standard for the sport, offering the largest number of franchises, unmatched attendance, extensive broadcast coverage and substantial championship prize money. It combines top-tier talent, including NCAA stars and international athletes, with cutting-edge production and technology to provide fans with an unmatched viewing experience. As a vital link between collegiate volleyball and the professional stage, PVF is dedicated to shaping the future of the sport and increasing visibility for its athletes. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.
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