Off the Block

Category: Division I-II

  • Argentina knocks USA out of medal contention at Pan Am Games

    Add another four years United States’ gold medal drought at the Pan American Games.

    The U.S. Men’s Volleyball Pan American Games lost to Argentina 25-17, 19-25, 25-18, 25-17, 15-11 in the quarterfinals on Thursday in Guadalajara, Mexico, to be eliminated from medal contention at the international tournament.

    The United States has not won a Pan American Games gold medal in men’s volleyball since 1988. It is also the first time since 1999 that the United States will not advance to at least the tournament’s semifinals.
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  • MPSF to discuss new NCAA scholarship policies in January

    The MPSF will look towards its five charter conferences for direction before discussing any common practices among its members on providing full-ride scholarship athletes an additional $2,000.

    MPSF commissioner Al Beaird informed Off the Block via email Thursday that the federated conference will discuss the new NCAA scholarship policy at its Administrative Committee meeting on Jan. 24, 2012.

    The NCAA Division I Board of Directors voted earlier Thursday to allow schools to give full-scholarship student athletes up to an additional $2,000 for cost-of-living expenses. The NCAA will not require schools to add the benefit, but it did inform conferences to consider common application of this new rule within their membership.
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  • NCAA to begin phasing-in new APR requirements for postseason

    The NCAA increased academic requirements that could make some Division I-II men’s volleyball teams ineligible for the postseason starting in 2013.

    The NCAA Division I Board of Directors voted Tuesday to phase-in the increased Academic Progress Rate postseason eligibility benchmark from 900 to 930 during the next five years.

    “These changes demonstrate a remarkable resolve by presidents,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement. “They represent a return to and a focus on values that are at the core of what intercollegiate athletics are all about. They also represent a clear signal to the world about what we care about and what we stand for.”
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  • Pan Am Games volleyball match to follow today: USA vs. Argentina

    The United States is two wins away from finishing on the medal podium at the Pan American Games.

    After advancing out of group-play, the U.S. Men’s Volleyball Pan American Games Team will play Argentina in the quarterfinals of the international tournament on Thursday in Guadalajara, Mexico.

    The winners of the United States-Argentina and Puerto Rico-Mexico quarterfinal matches will advance to play Brazil or Cuba in the semifinals on Friday.
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  • Puerto Rico sweep of Canada gives USA quarterfinals berth

    Less than six hours before its group-play finale, the United States has clinched a spot in the Pan American Games quarterfinals thanks to Puerto Rico.

    Puerto Rico swept Canada 25-22, 25-17, 25-23 on Wednesday afternoon, which secured the U.S. Men’s Volleyball Pan American Games Team a top-three finish in Group B and a quarterfinals berth.

    The United States (1-1, 1-1 Group B, 5 pts.) entered the final day of the three-match group-play round in second place in its four-team group after losing to Canada on Tuesday.
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  • Pan Am Games volleyball match to follow today: USA vs. Brazil

    A nationally televised audience will be able to see if the United States can clinch a spot in the Pan American Games quarterfinals on the final day of group-play.

    With the match airing live on ESPN2, the U.S. Men’s Volleyball Pan American Games Team will play first-place Brazil in its group-play finale at 8 p.m. (9 p.m. EST) on Wednesday in Guadalajara, Mexico.

    The United States is in second place in the four-team Group B. The first-place team in each group will receive a bye to the semifinals, while the second and third place teams will compete in the quarterfinals.
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  • USA to wait on quarterfinals berth, drops marathon match to Canada

    A match that featured two overtimes and took almost three hours to complete has now pushed the United States closer towards the brink of elimination from the Pan American Games.

    The U.S. Men’s Volleyball Pan American Games Team lost to Canada 21-25, 25-23, 37-39, 35-33, 15-12 on Tuesday in Guadalajara, Mexico and failed to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals entering the final day of group play.

    With this loss, the United States (1-1, 1-1 Group B, 5 points) remains in second place in Group B and is still likely to clinch a quarterfinals berth. However, it will have to defeat first-place Brazil in its group-play finale or get some help to be assured a spot in the quarterfinals.
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  • 13 schools below NCAA national average in latest GSR report

    More than half of Division I men’s volleyball teams are below the national average for student-athletes who entered college in 2004 and earned their degrees within six years.

    Nine of the 22 men’s volleyball teams scored higher than the national average of 82 percent in the latest single-year Graduation Success Rates that the NCAA released Tuesday.

    The Graduation Success Rates measures the percentage of student-athletes in each class who graduate from college within six years. It also includes several factors not featured in the federal graduation rate, such as transfers and students who enroll during the middle of the school year, to give a more accurate assessment of academic success.
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  • UCLA continues to roll in preseason, sweeps alumni match

    UCLA outside attacker Matt Hanley had a match-high 11 kills as the Bruins swept its alumni squad 25-22, 25-22, 25-15 in an exhibition match Saturday at the John Wooden Center.

    Hanley finished the match with a .600 attack percentage and added a match-high two aces. The redshirt sophomore started four matches for the Bruins last year and had 40 total kills during the regular season.

    Along with Hanley, outside attackers Ryal Jagd and Kene Izuchukwu each had five kills in the victory.
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  • Long Beach State vs. Stanford rematch highlights preseason tourney

    Six months after Long Beach State upset Stanford in the conference tournament, the two teams will have a preseason rematch.

    Long Beach State and Stanford will play a full best-of-five game exhibition match Saturday at the Walter Pyramid as part of the preseason LBSU Fall Tournament.

    “It is 100 percent exhibition matches this weekend and they don’t go on our record, but you ask any of our players and they want to win them too,” Long Beach State interim head coach Andy Read said.
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