Follow
The upsets hit the college men’s volleyball postseason and it completely altered the bracketology.
Off the Block 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 positioning.
Below are all of the criteria categories the selection committee uses to determine the NCAA Tournament field.
— RPI ranking
— Strength of schedule
— Won-lost results
— Head-to-head competition
— Results versus non-conference opponents
— Home and away results
— Results against common opponents
— Results against teams already qualified and other teams under consideration
— Eligibility and availability of student-athletes for NCAA championships.
There is no requirement for the committee to give additional weight to a certain category.
Here’s how the at-large bids and tournament seeding races look right now using the selection committee criteria.
[Editor’s note: Teams projected to qualify or be under consideration are Ball State, Hawai’i, Long Beach State, NJIT, North Greenville, Penn State, Pepperdine and UCLA. Off the Block is including NJIT, North Greenville and Pepperdine because they are the highest remaining seeds in their tournaments.]
Long Beach State vs. UCLA
RPI ranking: Edge: Long Beach State No. 1; UCLA No. 4. Edge: Long Beach State
Strength of schedule: Long Beach State No. 5; UCLA No. 18. Edge: Long Beach
Won-lost results: Long Beach State 19-4; UCLA 21-4. Edge: UCLA
Head-to-head competition: Season series tied at 1-1. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Long Beach State 11-2; UCLA 10-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Home record: Long Beach State 15-1; UCLA 11-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Road record: Long Beach State 4-3; UCLA 10-2. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. common opponents: Long Beach State 9-3; UCLA 9-3. Edge: Push
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Long Beach State 4-2; UCLA 4-1. Edge: UCLA
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
Long Beach State vs. Penn State
RPI ranking: Long Beach State No. 1; Penn State No. 3. Edge: Long Beach State
Strength of schedule: Long Beach State No. 5; Penn State No. 20. Edge: Long Beach State
Won-lost results: Long Beach State 19-4; Penn State 23-4. Edge: Penn State
Head-to-head competition: Penn State won season series 1-0.
Edge: Penn State
Non-conference record: Long Beach State 11-2; Penn State 7-3. Edge: Long Beach State
Home record: Long Beach State 15-1; Penn State 13-1. Edge: Penn State
Road record: Long Beach State 4-3; Penn State 10-2. Edge: Penn State
Record vs. common opponents: Long Beach State 7-1; Penn State 6-3. Edge: Long Beach State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Long Beach State 4-2; Penn State 3-1. Edge: Penn State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
Long Beach State vs. Hawai’i
RPI ranking: Long Beach State No. 1; Hawai’i No. 5. Edge: Long Beach State
Strength of schedule: Long Beach State No. 5; Hawai’i No. 6. Edge: Long Beach State
Won-lost results: Long Beach State 19-4; Hawai’i 22-5. Edge: Long Beach State
Head-to-head competition: Long Beach State leads season series 2-0. Edge: Long Beach State
Non-conference record: Long Beach State 11-2; Hawai’i 15-2. Edge: Hawai’i
Home record: Long Beach State 15-1; Hawai’i 16-0. Edge: Hawai’i
Road record: Long Beach State 4-3; Hawai’i 3-5. Edge: Long Beach State State
Record vs. common opponents: Long Beach State 10-2; Hawai’i 14-1. Edge: Hawai’i
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Long Beach State 4-2; Hawai’i 0-4. Edge: Long Beach State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
Long Beach State vs. Ball State
RPI ranking: Long Beach State No. 1; Ball State No. 3. Edge: Long Beach State
Strength of schedule: Long Beach State No. 5; Ball State No. 28. Edge: Long Beach State
Won-lost results: Long Beach State 19-4; Ball State 22-3. Edge: Ball State
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this season. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Long Beach State 11-2; Ball State 8-1. Edge: Ball State
Home record: Long Beach State 15-1; Ball State 13-1. Edge: Long Beach State
Road record: Long Beach State 4-3; Ball State 9-2. Edge: Ball State
Record vs. common opponents: Long Beach State 6-0; Ball State 8-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Long Beach State 4-2; Ball State 3-0. Edge: Ball State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
UCLA vs. Penn State
RPI ranking: UCLA No. 4; Penn State No. 2. Edge: Penn State
Strength of schedule: UCLA No. 18; Penn State No. 20. Edge: UCLA
Won-lost results: UCLA 21-4; Penn State 23-4. Edge: Penn State
Head-to-head competition: UCLA won the season series 1-0. Edge: UCLA
Non-conference record: UCLA 10-2; Penn State 7-3. Edge: UCLA
Home record: UCLA 11-2; Penn State 13-1. Edge: Penn State
Road record: UCLA 10-2; Penn State 10-2. Edge: Push
Record vs. common opponents: UCLA 9-1; Penn State 9-2. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UCLA 4-1; Penn State 3-1. Edge: UCLA
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
UCLA vs. Hawai’i
RPI ranking: UCLA No. 4; Hawai’i No. 5. Edge: UCLA
Strength of schedule: UCLA No. 18; Hawai’i No. 6. Edge: Hawai’i
Won-lost results: UCLA 21-4; Hawai’i 22-5. Edge: UCLA
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this season. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: UCLA 10-2; Hawai’i 15-2. Edge: Hawai’i
Home record: UCLA 11-2; Hawai’i 16-0. Edge: Hawai’i
Road record: UCLA 10-2; Hawai’i 3-5. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. common opponents: UCLA 6-4; Hawai’i 7-3. Edge: Hawai’i
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UCLA 4-1; Hawai’i 0-4. Edge: UCLA
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
UCLA vs. Ball State
RPI ranking: UCLA No. 4; Ball State No. 3. Edge: Ball State
Strength of schedule: UCLA No. 18; Ball State No. 28. Edge: UCLA
Won-lost results: UCLA 21-4; Ball State 22-3. Edge: Ball State
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this season. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: UCLA 8-2; Ball State 8-1. Edge: Ball State
Home record: UCLA 11-2; Ball State 13-1. Edge: Ball State
Road record: UCLA 10-2; Ball State 9-2. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. common opponents: UCLA 5-1; Ball State 7-1. Edge: Ball State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UCLA 4-1; Ball State 3-0. Edge: Ball State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
Penn State vs. Hawai’i
RPI ranking: Penn State No. 2; Hawai’i No. 6. Edge: Penn State
Strength of schedule: Penn State No. 20; Hawai’i No. 6. Edge: Hawai’i
Won-lost results: Penn State 23-4; Hawai’i 22-5. Edge: Penn State
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this season. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Penn State 7-3; Hawai’i 15-2. Edge: Hawai’i
Home record: Penn State 13-1; Hawai’i 16-0. Edge: Push
Road record: Penn State 10-2; Hawai’i 3-5. Edge: Penn State
Record vs. common opponents: Penn State 1-1; Hawai’i 2-2. Edge: Push
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Penn State 3-1; Hawai’i 0-4. Edge: Penn State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
Penn State vs. Ball State
RPI ranking: Penn State No. 2; Ball State No. 3. Edge: Penn State
Strength of schedule: Penn State No. 20; Ball State No. 28. Edge: Penn State
Won-lost results: Penn State 23-4; Ball State 22-3. Edge: Ball State
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this season. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Penn State 6-3; Ball State 8-1. Edge: Ball State
Home record: Penn State 13-1; Ball State 13-1. Edge: Push
Road record: Penn State 10-2; Ball State 9-2. Edge: Penn State
Record vs. common opponents: Penn State 10-1; Ball State 6-1. Edge: Penn State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Penn State 3-1; Ball State 3-0. Edge: Ball State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
Hawai’i vs. Ball State
RPI ranking: Hawai’i No. 6; Ball State No. 3. Edge: Ball State
Strength of schedule: Hawai’i No. 6; Ball State No. 28. Edge: Hawai’i
Won-lost results: Hawai’i 22-5; Ball State 22-3. Edge: Ball State
Head-to-head competition: Ball State won the season series 2-0. Edge: Ball State
Non-conference record: Hawai’i 15-2; Ball State 8-1. Edge: Ball State
Home record: Hawai’i 16-0; Ball State 13-1. Edge: Hawai’i
Road record: Hawai’i 3-5; Ball State 9-2. Edge: Ball State
Record vs. common opponents: Hawai’i 4-0; Ball State 3-2. Edge: Hawai’i
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Hawai’i 0-4; Ball State 3-0. Edge: Ball State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
Pepperdine vs. NJIT
RPI ranking: Pepperdine No. 12; NJIT No. 15. Edge: Pepperdine
Strength of schedule: Pepperdine No. 26; NJIT No. 27. Edge: Pepperdine
Won-lost results: Pepperdine 18-9; NJIT 17-10. Edge: Pepperdine
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this season. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Pepperdine 9-4; NJIT 5-4. Edge: Pepperdine
Home record: Pepperdine 12-3; NJIT 11-2. Edge: NJIT
Road record: Pepperdine 4-6; NJIT 3-8. Edge: Pepperdine
Record vs. common opponents: Pepperdine 5-0; NJIT 4-3. Edge: Pepperdine
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Pepperdine 0-2; NJIT 0-4. Edge: Push
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push