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The men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament field has expanded this season and will now feature a play-in match.
Here’s what you need to know about the play-in match entering Selection Sunday.
Why is there a play-in match this year?
The NCAA in the offseason opted to award the NEC with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament starting this year. When the NCAA awards an additional conference automatic bid it does not alter the number of at-large bids. As a result, the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament expanded from eight to nine teams with the addition of the NEC automatic bid and maintained its two at-large bids.
Where and when is the play-in match?
The play-in match will not take place at the site of the NCAA Tournament (excluding a possible scenario of Ohio State, NCAA Tournament host site, being the home team in the play-in match). Instead, the match will be played at the home court of the play-in match teams on Friday. The winner will then advance to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, May at Ohio State.
Where will the play-in match be placed on the bracket?
It is not a requirement that the NCAA men’s volleyball committee places the play-in match at the top of the bracket with the winner advancing to play the No. 1 seed. The committee can place the play-in match anywhere from the No. 5 seed to the No. 8 seed.
Why isn’t the play-in match between the two weakest teams in the tournament?
The play-in match can result in a match-up between the two teams with the weakest bracketology data. However, there is a geographical factor that can determine the play-in match teams. On-campus NCAA Tournament matches typically feature teams from the same region in an effort to reduce team travel and travel expenses.
What is the 400-mile rule?
The NCAA pays for all team travel associated with the NCAA Tournament. The long-time travel policy for the NCAA is if a road or neutral site tournament match for a team is within 400 miles of the school, the NCAA will cover driving expenses. If the match location is more than 400 miles away, the NCAA will cover flying expenses.
Are all NCAA Tournament teams eligible to possibly be placed in the play-in match?
The top four seeds are protected and can’t be placed into the play-in match. There are no restrictions, though, to whether a conference automatic qualifier or an at-large bid can be in the play-in match.
Have there ever been on-campus NCAA Tournament play-in matches before?
This will be the third on-campus NCAA Tournament play-in match in the history of college men’s volleyball. When the NCAA Tournament initially expanded from six to seven teams, the 2018 and 2019 tournaments featured on-campus play-in matches. Ohio State defeated King in the inaugural on-campus play-in match, and then Princeton as the road team defeated Barton in the 2019 play-in match. The NCAA men’s volleyball committee from 2021 through 2023 was able to move the play-in match to be at the same site as the rest of the NCAA Tournament matches.