Champions from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) learned their opponents in the first round of the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship as pairings were announced Sunday.

MEAC Champion Howard University (26-5) will face Wisconsin (25-4) Thursday, Dec 1 at 8:30pm ET in UW Fieldhouse in Madison.

Friday, Dec 2, SWAC Champ Alabama State University (24-8) will take on Florida (26-3) at the O'Connell Center in Gainesville.  First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET

Wisconsin and Florida will serve as host sites for the first and second rounds of the tournament. Howard's bracket includes Washington State (21-11) and Marquette.  Alabama State's bracket has the Lady Hornets opposite Cincinnati (22-9) and Florida State (24-5).  First-round winners will face off for a berth in the NCAA Regional.

The Bison enter the postseason with a 26-5 overall record, having finished a perfect 12-0 in MEAC play. Howard earned an automatic bid into the tournament by defeating Florida A&M, 3-1, for their second straight MEAC Championship.

The Bison will be making their third overall and second consecutive appearance in the tournament. Thursday's matchup will be the first-ever meeting between Howard and Wisconsin.

Alabama State capped off their perfect conference regular season of 18-0 with a SWAC Championship triumph last Sunday in Jackson, Miss. after rallying back to defeat Texas Southern in four sets.

ASU will be facing Florida for the second time in three seasons in an NCAA Tournament match up.

It marks the Lady Hornets’ third overall NCAA Tournament appearance in the last four seasons.