BENNINGTON, Vt. – The Southern Vermont College women's volleyball team has been selected as the No. 7 seed in the 2012 NCAA Division III New York Regional Tournament, hosted by Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y.

The Mountaineers return to the NCAA Tournament as an automatic qualifier after claiming their second-straight New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship.  They are slated to face No. 2 Middlebury College at 5:30 p.m. on Friday at Clarkson.

Third-year head coach and 2012 NECC Coach of Year Josh Stokes said of the matchup against the Panthers, "It's awesome; I couldn't have asked for anything better than having two Vermont schools battling it out with each other.  I have a high respect for Middlebury."  Friday's match will mark the first time in SVC women's volleyball history that the Mountaineers will face the Panthers.

SVC currently stands with a 24-6 record on the 2012 season after an undefeated 8-0 conference regular season.  Middlebury enters Friday with a 22-6 record, also getting an automatic qualifier after winning the New England Small College Athletic Conference Tournament.

Southern Vermont lost in the 2011 NCAA New York Regional first round, 3-0, to Cortland State, the No. 1 seed in this year's regional bracket.