Check out Off the Block special contributor Jonathan Bates’ postmatch interview with UCLA coach John Speraw following the team’s loss to UC Santa Barbara in the MPSF Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday. Continue reading
Check out all-conference outside attacker Evan Licht’s postmatch news after UC Santa Barbara rallied from a one-game deficit to defeat UCLA in the MPSF Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday. Continue reading
Check out UC Santa Barbara coach Rick McLaughlin’s postmatch news conference following his team’s five-game postseason victory against UCLA on Saturday. Video courtesy of Off the Block special contributor Jonathan Bates. Continue reading
A nationwide voting committee selected UCLA outside attacker Gonzalo Quiroga, Penn State outside attacker Aaron Russell, BYU outside attacker Taylor Sander and Loyola outside attacker Joseph Smalzer as finalists for the 2014 Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Server of the Year.
The Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Server of the Year recognizes the top individual serving performance from a NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball player during the regular season. Continue reading
The decision of what teams earn the two at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament could be greatly influenced by conference tournament matches not involving those teams or even their conference.
Of the all the pieces of criteria used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee the one with greatest fluidity is record against teams already qualified for the NCAA Tournament or under consideration for an at-large bid.
Craziness might not even be a strong enough word to describe the weekend in college men’s volleyball.
Check out the top five things to take away from this weekend’s matches.
The road to the MPSF Tournament championship will go through BYU all thanks to All-American outside attacker Taylor Sander.
Sander had a match-high 23 kills as No. 2 BYU defeated No. 9 UCLA 22-25, 25-22, 28-26, 25-21 on Saturday in Provo, Utah, to clinch the No. 1 seed for the upcoming MPSF Tournament and a share of the conference regular season title.
Multiple conference titles can be clinched tonight.
No. 2 BYU will go for its second consecutive MPSF regular season title as it plays host to conference rival No. 9 UCLA. In addition out in the Midwest, No. 1 Loyola will look to remain undefeated in the MIVA and win its first conference regular season title in about 10 years as it takes on IPFW.
It’s a huge midweek night in college men’s volleyball with several matches that could have a significant affect on the conference tournament seeding and the race for the NCAA Tournament at-large bids.
No. 5 Stanford and No. 7 USC highlights the slate of matches as both teams continue to battle to earn a home postseason match in the MPSF Tournament. In addition out in the Midwest, Ball State will attempt to put an end to No. 1 Loyola’s perfect run in conference play.
With Selection Sunday almost a month away, the races for the at-large bids and NCAA Tournament seeding is getting tighter but the teams on the bubble still in contention remains unprecedentedly large.
Off the Block has crunched the numbers using the same criteria as the selection committee to show how the top teams in the nation fare against each other in the race for the two at-large bids and NCAA Tournament seeding. Continue reading
