With a 28-2 record heading into its final match of the regular season, Penn State women’s volleyball was looking at one of its toughest tests of the season: No. 2-ranked Nebraska. The Nittany Lions were unfazed.

After an inspired 3-1 victory over the Cornhuskers on Friday, Penn State clinched a share of the Big Ten title, secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, and locked up a top-four overall seed.

Then, while watching the selection show on Sunday, the Nittany Lions found out they’re the No. 3 overall seed in the tournament. As one of four No. 1 seeds, Penn State will host the tournament’s first four rounds.

Penn State will begin dancing for the 44th time in school history, the most of any program in the nation, on Friday against Delaware State, and head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley said the top seed was well-earned by her players.

“It’s great. I’m so happy for the team for them to experience this and be a top-four seed,” Schumacher-Cawley said. “I think it’s really special and these guys have earned it. I think they understand that we have a lot more work to do.”

In the eyes of the Nittany Lions, the most crucial part of earning a spot in the top four is hosting four rounds of the tournament, an advantage that could be a difference-maker in the tournament.

Rec Hall showed just how loud it can get on Friday when 6,597 fans filled the arena for the outing against Nebraska. With many teams making a trip to Happy Valley for the first time, Penn State knows it has an advantage on its home floor.

“It’s going to be an atmosphere and energy unlike any other. The Nebraska match a couple of days ago was just absolutely electric, so we’re going to try to replicate that for every matchup,” senior captain Jess Mruzik, who leads the team in kills, said.

Aside from having a home crowd backing them through the quarterfinals, the Nittany Lions also see positives of being at home from a logistical standpoint.

Beginning the tournament with a Friday match would’ve forced Penn State to fly out of State College on Tuesday, but playing at home allows it to continue its typical schedule throughout the week.

“Just to be in your own environment, to be at their own apartments, their own space, and our practice gym, and our same routine every day I think is really special. We’ll embrace it, and work hard, and get better,” Schumacher-Cawley said.

After back-to-back third-round appearances, the third-year head coach is wasting no time in preparing her squad for the tournament.

Schumacher-Cawley said she planned to spend Sunday night studying film of Delaware State, a team she hadn’t watched prior to the selection show, before getting right back in the gym with her team on Monday.

Camryn Hannah, a senior outside hitter behind only Mruzik with 388 kills this season, isn’t shying away from stepping back into the gym, as she believes being physically prepared will lead the Nittany Lions to success.

“Make sure that your body’s right, as well as your mind, but make sure that you’re ready for, physically, another level. Put your best foot forward every day,” Hannah said.

Penn State will begin its NCAA Tournament against the Hornets at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 6, at Rec Hall. The game will be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks.