MARQUETTE – Pairings have been set for the eighth annual Mizuno Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover Tournament that includes teams from the GLIAC.

Matches will be held this weekend at the Great Lakes Center in the Chicago suburb of Aurora, Illinois.

Northern Michigan University is seeded 12th and will play one match Friday and two on Saturday.

“Most of our players have played at the GLC during their club careers,”?NMU?coach Dominic Yoder said. “The tournament is a great opportunity to play teams from other regional conferences, and our team is excited to compete this weekend.”

The Wildcats open the tournament against 10th-seeded Missouri-St. Louis at 3:30 p.m. Friday. On Saturday, NMU faces No. 17 Saint Joseph’s (Indiana) at 11 a.m. and No. 14 Bellarmine at 5 p.m.

Touted as the nation’s largest collegiate volleyball tournament, the event features 36 teams – 16 each from the GLIAC and Great Lakes Valley Conference and, for the first time, four more from from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.

The conference that finishes with the best combined record will earn the Crossover traveling trophy.