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. Big West | 70-17 | .805 |
| 2. MIVA | 49-29 | .628 |
| 3. MPSF | 59-37 | .615 |
| 4. NEC | 30-29 | .508 |
| 5. Independents | 53-62 | .461 |
| 6. EIVA | 28-37 | .431 |
| 7. ECC | 12-31 | .279 |
| 8. ConfCarolinas | 15-49 | .234 |
| 9. SIAC | 4-28 | .125 |
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 end of season strength of schedule (as of March 6)
1. UC Irvine
2. Stanford
3. UC Santa Barbara
4. Hawai’i
5. CSUN
6. UCLA
7. UC San Diego
8. Long Beach State
9. Grand Canyon
10. BYU
11. Lindenwood
12. Pepperdine
13. McKendree
14. Princeton
1. Ohio State
KPI rankings
The NCAA men’s volleyball committee for the second consecutive year will use the KPI as a selection criteria category. The KPI is a ranking system that evaluates every match result on a scale with the best positive result receiving about a 1.0 score and the worst possible result garnering about a negative-1.0 score. Among the variables used to determine a match result score includes opponent’s winning percentage, opponent strength of schedule, point differential, match location.
The KPI first ranking of the season has yet to be released as more data continues to be collected with each match result.
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 |
| USC at BYU | 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday | Both teams remain in the race for a possible at-large bid but are behind all three Big West teams (LBSU, UH and UCI). This is a near must-sweep weekend for both teams. |
| Pepperdine at UC Irvine | 7 p.m. Friday | Despite four straight losses, UC Irvine remains in solid position for the final at-large bid because of head-to-head results. Pepperdine still isn’t out of the at-large race and signature non-conference win against UC Irvine can put the Waves into legitimate contention. |
| Loyola at Ball State | 7 p.m. Friday | Ball State and Loyola have a chance to get a critical conference win move within a match of first place in the MIVA. |