DALLAS (SMU) – When the SMU volleyball coaching staff talked, Celia Cullen did her best to visualize what they were saying. 

Following two years at Michigan State, Cullen entered the transfer portal searching for a new home. Coach Sam Erger and her staff had a picture for the future, one that involved the Mustangs being a premiere program. 

Three years later, those words have become reality. 

"From the beginning, I knew the coaches' vision for this program and I knew what the program could become," Cullen said. "I can't say that I'm fully surprised because I know all the work, effort, love and heart that's been put into this program from everyone. I think it's a long time coming here, but we're all really excited and feel very blessed to have this opportunity to host." 

For the first time in school history, Moody Coliseum will be the site for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament as the Mustangs (24-7 overall, 16-4 ACC) earned a No. 2 seed in the bracket. SMU will battle Wichita State (18-13, 10-6 American) on Thursday at 7 p.m. The winner of that contest gets the victor of Missouri and Texas State on Friday for a trip to the third round. 

The home opportunity is thanks in large part to SMU's success as a first-year member of the ACC, coupled with an overall body of work against some of the nation's best programs. Of the 31 matches the Mustangs played this fall, 18 were against opponents who made the NCAA field, including seven in nonconference play and three of the four national No. 1 seeds. 

Now in her third-year, Erger knew the aggressive approach would raise eyebrows, especially as the school transitioned to one of the strongest volleyball conferences in America. 

Watching other programs, Erger saw that playing tough competition didn't necessarily have adverse effects, even if the results sometimes didn't show up in the win column. 

"Then why would we not go schedule tough? Not only does playing tough teams make you better and make you battle-tested, but it brings in bigger crowds and builds excitement around the program," Erger said. "If you lose, it doesn't really hurt you. And if you win, it really, really helps you. I just feel like that's the way to go and I feel like it worked out for us."

SMU found a way to win and, along the way, won over the Dallas fan base. 

Moody Coliseum regularly became one of the most hostile environments in college volleyball, particularly when it mattered most. Against powerhouse Nebraska, nearly 6,800 fans packed the arena, one the top 50 attended matches across the NCAA for the entire season. 

As the Mustangs prepare to host postseason competition for the first time, players are excited for a chance to experience Moody Magic one more time. 

"For some people, when you're playing at home and hosting, it's not always an advantage. But playing at Moody, having this place packed and loud, it's definitely an advantage," said grad transfer Ellie Bolton. "This is just a group that meshes really well together and we're ready to take on the tournament. People are like, 'Oh, how cool is it to be a two-seed?' That's something we expect and we're ready to go and handle some teams for sure."