Big 12 co-champions Nebraska and Texas have advanced to the NCAA Volleyball Championship semifinals.  For the first time in league history, the conference will have two representatives in the event, which will be played at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb. on Dec. 18 and 20.
 
The Longhorns eliminated fellow league foe Iowa State, 3-1, in the Austin Regional final.  No. 3 seed Texas will be making its first appearance in the national semifinals since 1995.  Big 12 student-athletes filled five of the seven spots on the All-Region team, including ISU's Victoria Henson and Kaylee Manns and UT's Destinee Hooker, Michelle Kocher and Lauren Paolini (Most Outstanding Player).

After dropping its first two sets 25-14 and 25-23, fourth-seeded Nebraska rallied to defeat No. 5 seed Washington 25-17, 26-24 and 15-13 in the final three sets.  NU's Sydney Anderson, Lindsey Licht, Jordan Larson and Tara Mueller, who earned MOP honors, were named to the Seattle Regional All-Tournament Team. 

Semifinal action gets underway at 6 p.m. CT on Dec. 18 with UT (29-3) playing No. 2 seed Stanford.  The Huskers will then face top-seeded Penn State at 8 p.m. in the nightcap.  Both matches are scheduled to be televised on ESPN2 or ESPNU.  The NCAA championship match will be played on Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

NU was crowned the national champion the last time the event was held in Omaha (2006).  The Huskers have won both NCAA titles since the Big 12 began play in 1996-97, also capturing the crown in 2000.