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Check out everything you need to know about the college men’s volleyball bracketology so far this season and for the upcoming matches this weekend.
Conference RPI
Non-conference results are what ultimately determine a conference’s RPI ranking. The ranking is based on a conference’s combined winning percentage against NCAA opponents. Every conference match results in one winner and one loser, which in terms of conference winning percentage means it’s always guaranteed to be at .500. As a result, non-conference results are the greatest influence on a conference’s RPI rankings. Teams also benefit in their RPI ranking if they play in a league with a strong conference RPI because during the conference season they have an increased opportunity to play against teams with winning records and high RPI rankings. Below are the non-conference records for each NCAA Division I-II conference against other NCAA members this season.
| Conference | Record | Winning Pct. |
| 1. MPSF | 36-20 | .643 |
| 2. MIVA | 31-21 | .596 |
| 3. Big West | 32-22 | .593 |
| 4. EIVA | 26-23 | .531 |
| 5. ConfCarolinas | 19-26 | .422 |
| 6. Independents | 30-45 | .400 |
| 7. SIAC | 1-18 | .053 |
Strength of schedule
Strength of schedule is one of the criteria categories the selection committee uses to determine the NCAA Tournament field. In addition, a team’s strength of schedule is part of the formula used to determine the RPI rankings. Below are the teams projected to have the best strength of schedule at the end of the season. The projections are based on match results so far this season.
Projected strength of schedule (as of Feb. 17)
1. BYU
2. UC Irvine
3. CSUN
4. UC Santa Barbara
5. Loyola
6. Ohio State
7. UCLA
8. UC San Diego
9. Concordia-Irvine
10. Grand Canyon
11. Lewis
12. Quincy
13. USC
14. Long Beach State
15. Princeton
Record against teams under consideration
The category of record against other teams under consideration for the NCAA Tournament is a piece of criteria that historically has helped shape the NCAA Tournament field. Below are the records for some notable teams against teams under consideration, according to Off the Block’s latest bracketology projections.
Record vs. under consideration teams
Ball State (3-0)
USC (4-1)
Long Beach State (3-1)
UC Santa Barbara (3-3)
Pepperdine (1-2)
UCLA (1-2)
Lewis (1-3)
Penn State (1-3)
Mount Olive (0-0)
Hawai’i (0-2)
Big bracketology matches this weekend
Below are the matches to watch this weekend that could have big implications on the bracketology at the end of the season.
| Match | Start time | Bracketology significance |
| Long Beach State vs. UCLA | 5 p.m. Saturday | Long Beach State won the initial meeting last week and now can gain the full advantage against UCLA in the head-to-head selection criteria category with another win. |
| UC Santa Barbara vs. BYU | 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday | BYU is unlikely to be among the teams under at-large bid consideration at the end of the season. However, UC Santa Barbara needs these wins to help the Big West’s conference RPI and draw closer to the MPSF. |
| Grand Canyon vs. Pepperdine | 6 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday | The Waves are 0-2 on the road and need these road wins to bolster their resume. |