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April 20, 2011September 19, 2011

Aguillard, Nelson, Tavana named finalists for Blocker of the Year

A nationwide voting committee selected Long Beach State middle attacker Antwain Aguillard, Ball State middle attacker Anders Nelson and BYU middle attacker Futi Tavana as finalists for the Off the Block Blocker of the Year.

The Off the Block Blocker of the Year award is given to the nation’s best front-row defensive men’s volleyball player during the regular season. To be eligible for this award, a player must be on the active roster of a Division I-II men’s volleyball team.
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April 19, 2011October 1, 2011

My men’s volleyball media poll ballot

Who is No. 1 never came into question this season.

USC remained No. 1 the final regular season top 10 men’s volleyball media poll released Tuesday to become the first team since UCLA in 1995 to stay in the top spot in the polls from the preseason to end of the regular season.

Outside of No. 1, four teams moved spots in this week’s media poll. Long Beach State and Ohio State both moved up two spots to No. 6 and No. 7 after picking up wins last week, while UC Santa Barbara dropped three spots to No. 9 follow two losses to close the season.
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April 18, 2011September 23, 2011

Men’s volleyball bracketology

With conference tournaments about to begin and the men’s volleyball Final Four weeks away, Off the Block will continue its weekly projected NCAA Tournament bracket.

The men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament is comprised of four teams. Automatic bids are awarded to the winners of the EIVA, MIVA and MPSF conference tournaments, and the NCAA Men’s Volleyball National Committee chooses one team for an at-large bid.
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April 18, 2011August 13, 2014

Deeper look at men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament selection process

While the at-large bid and men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament seeding appears to be set, a deeper look into the volleyball committee’s selection criteria showed there could be some non-traditional seedings in this year’s tournament.

Below is the entry from the 2011 NCAA men’s volleyball championship handbook on how the three-person volleyball selection committee determines the at-large team and seeding for the NCAA Tournament.
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April 17, 2011September 23, 2011

The top 5 men’s volleyball stories of the week

It’s your top five men’s volleyball story list, but with a twist.

Every Sunday during the men’s volleyball season Off the Block will post the top five best men’s volleyball stories of the week from around the nation. The list, though, is based more on how well the reporter wrote and covered the story rather than just what happened on the court.
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April 17, 2011September 19, 2011

Initial look at the EIVA, MIVA and MPSF quarterfinal matches

After four months of the regular season, the NCAA men’s volleyball postseason is final upon us.

The EIVA, MIVA and MPSF will all begin their conference tournaments Friday and Saturday. Here is the initial look and the historical information you need to know about every conference tournament quarterfinals match before you fill out your bracket.
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April 16, 2011September 19, 2011

Top 5 men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

It is the final day of the regular season and there is a sense of calmness to the brackets.

Unlike other seasons when teams were still battling to get into the postseason, all the teams in this year’s conference tournaments are known. However, there are a couple of matches tonight that will determine where teams are seeded and could play a vital role in any potential upsets in the conference tournaments.

Check out the top five men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight.
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April 15, 2011September 19, 2011

Live chat: No. 7 Penn State vs. Ball State

Off the Block will be in Muncie, Ind., tonight to give live coverage to the No. 7 Penn State versus Ball State non-conference match.

Penn State enters tonight on a six match winning streak and will likely need to win if it wants remain in consideration for the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Ball State clinched the No. 3 seed for its conference tournament next week and is looking to snap a 10 match losing streak to the Nittany Lions.
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April 15, 2011September 19, 2011

Top 5 men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

With no MPSF matches tonight, the focus of men’s volleyball is solely on the EIVA and MIVA.

No. 7 Penn State and Ball State highlight the schedule tonight as they renew their non-conference rivalry that historically use to determine who was the best volleyball team east of the Mississippi River. In addition, Loyola is hoping to make history this weekend, while Princeton is looking to avoid history tonight.

Check out the top five men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight.
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April 14, 2011August 13, 2014

Penn State, USA Volleyball partner up for NCAA Tournament

Nittany Lions coach Mark Pavlik does not just want this year’s Final Four at Penn State to be two-day event, he wants it to week-long celebration of men’s volleyball.

Pavlik and U.S. men’s national volleyball coach Alan Knipe announced Wednesday that the teams will have a partnership for the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament in May to provide events beyond the collegiate matches.
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