INDIANAPOLIS --- Tusculum College is listed fourth in this year's first installment of the NCAA Division II Southeast Region rankings. The Pioneers are one of five South Atlantic Conference teams listed in this year's inaugural poll.

Three Tusculum opponents sit atop the regional poll including Wingate, Flagler and Armstrong. Tusculum is fourth in the poll, followed by the SAC trio of Lincoln Memorial, Newberry and Lenoir-Rhyne. USC Aiken is eighth, followed by Augusta State and Francis Marion to round out the rankings.

Tournament champions of the South Atlantic Conference, Peach Belt Conference and Conference Carolinas will receive automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament. There will also be five at-large bids to the NCAA postseason, which begins Nov. 29 at campus sites. The NCAA II Elite Eight will be held Dec. 6-8 in Pensacola, Fla.

Tusculum (17-6, 11-4 SAC) is in quest of its fourth straight NCAA Tournament berth. TC is currently in second place in the South Atlantic Conference and is riding a four-match winning streak.

The Pioneers return to action next week as they close out the regular season with three straight home matches, beginning with Tuesday's clash with cross-mountain rival Mars Hill at 7 p.m.

- NCAA -

NCAA II Southeast Region Volleyball Ranking
Rk. Team
1 Wingate
2 Flagler
3 Armstrong
4 TUSCULUM
5 Lincoln Memorial
6 Newberry
7 Lenoir-Rhyne
8 USC Aiken
9 Augusta State
10 Francis Marion

2012 Tusculum opponents in italics