Wheeling, WVA – Fayetteville State (19-7 overall) had its best-ever start in a NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament but Broncos succumbed 3-0 to the No. 1 team in the Region Wheeling University, 25-20, 25-12, and 25-13 in Wheeling, West Virginia.  
 
"It was a great experience," said Head Coach and CIAA Coach of the Year Reeshemah Johnson. "This is a very young team to have participate at this level of volleyball. We came in ready to play and we gave Wheeling a fight. Yes, we fell in the second and third set, but that was because of a lack of experience. I am super proud of the way the ladies represented themselves, the university, and the [CIAA] conference."
 
Senior All-CIAA First Teamer Chynna Hunt (Summerville, SC) led the effort with nine kills from 19 attacks and four blocks. Da'Nesha Miller (Hilton Head Island, SC) and Ashlyn Bradley (Duncanville, TX) finished with five kills apiece. Nakia McKinnie (Niceville, FL) had 16 assists and Miller finished with 12 while the CIAA Defensive Specialist of the Year Jasmine Jacinto (San Antonio, TX) had a match high 12 digs.
 
"In that first set, it just felt so good," said senior setter Nakia McKinnie. "We were so ready to play. We saw that Wheeling had a big crowd, but we have a little crowd that was a kinda louder than theirs. It felt good just to know that we were neck-and-neck and that we can do it."
 
The hometown atmosphere did not play a factor in the Broncos play thanks to the multiple rivalries within the CIAA conference.
 
"We are used to teams and crowds against us and talking in our ears," said senior outside hitter Chynna Hunt. "Our Coach tells us at practice that they are going to be loud, so you are going to have to communicate. We are kinda trained and used to the loud crowds. We wanted to shut everybody up and that's what we did in the first set."
 
"My seniors came in as freshman with a bang," said Coach Johnson. "We went all the way to the conference championship. Just to watch the grow over four years. This year in particular, to watch their leadership with this young team and to see how they pulled that team along. I think they did a good job to the point that we believed in ourselves.
 
The regional loss snaps an 11-match win streak for the Broncos.  The last time Fayetteville State participated in a regional tournament was in 2013 against Wheeling for the second consecutive year.