Cape Fear Sweeps Region 10, Earns National Bid
The Cape Fear Community College women's volleyball team swept the Region 10 Tournament and qualified for the 2026 NJCAA Division II national championship.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Volleyball
The Cape Fear Community College women's volleyball team swept the Region 10 Tournament, defeating Wake Tech, Fayetteville Tech, and Forsyth Tech in straight sets. The win earned the team a bid to the 2026 NJCAA Division II Volleyball National Championship.
Why it matters
The title secures a berth in the national championship for a Wilmington-area program. It continues a run in which the program's coaching staff has previously reached the national tournament.
The team swept three opponents in straight sets to win the tournament, following national tournament runs in 2021 and 2022. Rose Eklund earned Region 10 Player of the Year honors for a second consecutive season, and head coach Abby Vendemia was named District Coach of the Year.
The players
Cape Fear Community College
A public community college in Wilmington, North Carolina, whose women's volleyball program competes in the NJCAA.
Abby Vendemia
The head coach of the Cape Fear women's volleyball program, who was named District Coach of the Year.
Rose Eklund
A Cape Fear player who was named Region 10 Player of the Year for the second consecutive season and Tournament MVP.
The details
Rose Eklund was named Region 10 Player of the Year and Tournament MVP, while Emma Lawson, Peyton Hogan, and Chloe Carter earned All-Region recognition. The team carried momentum from the semifinals into the championship match before advancing to nationals in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, scheduled for Nov. 18-21.
Timeline
2021 and 2022: Program makes back-to-back national tournament runs.
Nov. 18-21: NJCAA Division II Women's Volleyball National Championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Season Trajectory
The program's 2021 and 2022 back-to-back national tournament runs set a recent pattern of postseason success. The 2026 Region 10 title and national bid extend that pattern into a third appearance in the period under review.
Fans following the program can track the team at the national championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Nov. 18-21. Eklund's and Hogan's All-Region and All-Tournament honors make them the individuals to watch as the team heads into nationals.
The takeaway
A conference title and a national berth reflect a team that closed out its regional schedule with three straight-set wins. Watching how the squad performs in Cedar Rapids will show whether its momentum carries into the national field.
What happens next
The team will compete at the NJCAA Division II Women's Volleyball National Championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Nov. 18-21.
Further reading
For more coverage of the regional scene, see Volleyball in Wilmington.
