On October 16th, DePaul will host two schools in the annual DUI Tournament. In attendance will be NCDA mainstay Wisconsin Platteville, along with first-year team Northern Illinois (NIU). Below is a brief preview of this tournament:
As we look towards this clash in Chicago, it is smart to first remind ourselves on what we should expect from each team in attendance.
For starters, we have the host school DePaul. This team’s only loss this year was an overtime defeat at the hands of UWP. They also have a victory over UNL. I expect this team to win their home tourney. DePaul will have the luxury of having a full roster since it is on their campus. Don’t be surprised if the ‘undefeated’ DePaul dodgeball team goes undefeated this Sunday.
Wisconsin Platteville is an interesting team in my opinion. I was surprised to see that they lost a 3-1 battle with Nebraska at the Cornhusker Clash, but I know much of that is thanks to their depleted roster that traveled to Lincoln, NE. My gut feeling here is that UWP will once again bring a roster that isn’t their best and it will hurt them, especially against the host school: DePaul. With all of that being said, I think UWP will come on strong as the season wears on, and will be a school to watch come Nationals.
Northern Illinois is the biggest unknown here at the DUI. The Huskies join the league under captain Clint Summerfelt. NIU will be the 41st school to play in an NCDA match. I personally hope this team comes in with a talented group of players and leaves undefeated, but that is an unlikely circumstance considering they will be up against two experienced and established NCDA schools.
I was able to speak with the captain for Northern Illinois. Here is what he had to say, as his team looks forward to their inaugural matches:
