After last year’s NCAA tournament snub, the ISU volleyball team wasn’t taking anything for granted this year. Despite its record and conference standing, Iowa State wasn’t guaranteed to receive an at-large bid into postseason play.

With their family and friends close by, the players and coaches gathered Sunday afternoon to watch the tournament selection show on ESPNews. As the teams were listed off, including Colorado – who the Cyclones beat twice this season – nerves set in and the stress level kept rising.

“We were celebrating that we were in, but they hadn’t called our name and it was getting close to the end,” said senior Katie Churm. “It was the same scenario that happened last year with Kansas, so there were definitely some clammy hands.”

All that worrying turned out to be for nothing, as the Cyclones received an invitation to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1995. The team will take on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (24-5) at 5 p.m. Friday at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis.

The Cyclones were one of the last teams announced, but the wait was worth it. When Iowa State was finally called, the room erupted. Players screamed, parents cheered and a whole season of work was validated.

After last season’s success, coach Christy Johnson expected her team to do well and have a chance to make the tournament. Iowa State put itself in good position after going 20-10 in the season and finishing fourth in the Big 12 with a 12-8 conference record.

“My expectations this August were that I felt that if we played like we were capable of, we could get into the tournament,” Johnson said.

The Cyclones helped their own cause by playing well over Thanksgiving Break. After dropping a competitive match to No. 8 Texas, 3-0, Iowa State gave No. 13 Oklahoma all it could handle before finally bowing out, 3-2. A 3-2 home win Saturday over Colorado sent the Cyclones into the postseason with a win and sent the seniors out in style for their last home match.

Not only was the win over Colorado big for morale, but the atmosphere the Cyclones experienced in their final two matches – both went to a decisive fifth game – should help them in the tournament.

“I’m glad we ended with the teams we did in conference,” Johnson said. “We’ve talked for the past couple weeks about how we are going to have to battle and win long matches. It was good practice for what’s to come.”

The team will be back to work Monday as it starts the preparation for UW-Milwaukee, but the players are going to enjoy it for now. For the seniors, it is a culmination of four years of hard work and a confirmation that they helped turn the program around.

“Today was an emotional day, but I think there is going to be a lot more excitement and motivation to get back to work,” Churm said. “I am just excited that our name got called, I didn’t care where we went or who we played as long as our name was up there.”