2024 Volleyball Season Preview

Mineral Area College Volleyball 2024 Season Preview

As the 2024 volleyball season gets underway, the MAC Cardinals are primed for an exciting schedule filled with Region 16 matchups and five quality tournaments.

Early Season Tournaments

The season opens with a bang at the Jimmy John's Tournament in West Burlington, IA. The Cardinals will face Heartland Community College and Southeastern Community College on August 30, followed by Spoon River College and John Wood Community College on August 31.

The following week, the Cardinals will travel to Vincennes, IN, for the Blazer Classic, where they will face their toughest test of the early season against Eastern Florida State College, Vincennes University, Pratt Community College, and Wabash Valley College.

Conference Play and Key Matches

As the season progresses into September, Mineral Area College will return to their home court to face off against East Central College, Southeastern Illinois College, Southwestern Illinois College, and Jefferson College. These regional and conference matches will be pivotal, as the Cardinals aim to solidify their seeding in Region 16.

Fall Competitions and Home Games

October kicks off with another difficult test when MAC heads to the Grizzly Invitational in West Plains, MO, where the Cardinals will face Trinity Valley Community College, Iowa Western Community College, and Panola College. This tournament will be a great opportunity for the Cardinals to gauge their season progression. 

The Cardinal Classic on October 11-12 will be another key event, with games against Vincennes University, Hutchinson Community College, and Indian Hills Community College. This home tournament will be a chance for the Cardinals to showcase their talent and rally the support of their fans.

As the regular season winds down, the Cardinals will face Missouri State University - West Plains and Lake Land College in critical conference clashes. These matches will be essential for seeding in the MCCAC Conference tournament and for the team's overall standing.

Postseason

The Region 16 Tournament will be held at Mineral Area College on November 1 and November 2.  The winner will advance to the Midwest District Tournament hosted by the winner and runner-up of Region 16.  The MAC volleyball team won the Region 16 Tournament and Midwest District Tournament in 2023 before advancing to the NJCAA D1 Volleyball Championship.