Off the Block

Category: Division I-II

  • Men’s volleyball bracketology: conference championship matches implications

    It’s the weekend of selection Sunday and it remains unclear on who will be the men’s volleyball teams in the Final Four.

    The EIVA, MIVA and MPSF conference championships matches on Saturday will make the four-team field for the NCAA Tournament clearer entering selection Sunday. However with the winner of these conference title matches receiving automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, there are still numerous scenarios that could effect this year’s bracket.

    Check out the potential implications each conference tournament could have on the bracket if either team wins.
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  • AVCA releases 2011 men’s volleyball All-American teams

    The American Volleyball Coaches Association announced its men’s volleyball Division I-II All-American teams on Thursday.

    USC led all teams with three All-American selections — two First-Team All-Americans and a Second-Team All-American.

    The Trojans became the first team in 16 years to be ranked No. 1 from the preseason through the end of the regular season. All six of its starters also received all-conference accolades last week.

    Along with USC, Penn State and BYU had three All-American selections. The Nittany Lions and Cougars both had a First-Team All-American and two Second-Team All-Americans.

    UC Santa Barbara, Stanford and UC Irvine all had two players named All-Americans.

    A voting committee comprised of nine men’s volleyball coaches selected the All-American teams. The committee included Penn State coach Mark Pavlik, George Mason coach Fred Chao, Loyola coach Shane Davis, USC coach Bill Ferguson, Lewis coach Dan Friend, Stanford coach John Kotsy, UC Santa Barbara coach UC Santa Barbara, St. Francis coach Mike Rumbaugh and Ball State coach Joel Walton.

    Check out the players who received All-American honors this year.
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  • Conference tournament men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

    From coast to coast the men’s volleyball conference tournaments are in full swing tonight.

    Penn State on the East Coast looks to move one win closer to clinching its 13th consecutive EIVA title and a spot in the Final Four. In addition, the two Cinderellas of the West Coast, Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara, play with a chance to advance to the MPSF Tournament championship match.

    The winners of these semifinals matches tonight will play in their conference tournament championship match Saturday.

    Check out the conference tournament matches to follow tonight.
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  • Volleyball committee chairman says race tight for at-large bid to NCAA Tournament

    Expect discussions to continue for the rest of this week about who should get the lone at-large bid to the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament.

    NCAA volleyball committee chairman Bob Krimmel said Monday that this has the potential to be one of the closest races he can recall to determine the at-large bid and seeding for the NCAA Tournament.
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  • BYU middle attacker Tavana wins Blocker of the Year award

    A nationwide voting committee selected BYU middle attacker Futi Tavana as the inaugural winner of 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.

    Tavana leads the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and is second in the nation with a 1.50 blocks per game average. The junior also has a nation-best 160 total blocks this season. Tavana was a 2010 All-American after switching positions from outside attacker to middle attacker before the start of that season.
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  • Conference tournament men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

    The madness of April is officially upon us.

    Nine of the 10 conference tournament quarterfinal matches in the EIVA, MIVA and MPSF will be played tonight with the winners advancing to the semifinals while the losers’ seasons will likely be finished. These postseason matches to also feature eight of the top 10 ranked teams, including No. 2 BYU and No. 3 Stanford who are battling for the lone at-large bid to the Final Four.

    Check out the conference tournament matches to follow tonight.
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  • 2011 All-EIVA teams released

    For the fourth consecutive season, a Penn State men’s volleyball player was the named the EIVA Player of the Year.

    Outside attacker Joe Sunder was named the Uvaldo Acosta EIVA Player of the Year on Thursday after leading the conference and being third in the nation with a 4.63 kills per game average.

    Sunder was also one of six Penn State players named an All-EIVA team, which were released along with the player of the year award.
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  • Conference tournament men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

    Consider tonight to be the appetizer for the men’s volleyball postseason.

    IPFW and Lewis open the postseason as the lone conference tournament match scheduled tonight. The rest the EIVA, MIVA, and MPSF Tournament quarterfinal matches will be played Saturday.
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  • 2011 All-MIVA teams released

    The MIVA announced its all-conference teams and individual awards Thursday.

    Check out what players and coaches made the 2011 All-MIVA teams.
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  • 2011 All-MPSF men’s volleyball teams released

    USC’s domination of the MPSF in the regular season continued with the conference awards.

    All six USC starters received All-MPSF accolades and outside attacker Murphy Troy was named the MPSF Player of the Year as the MPSF announced its all-conference awards Thursday.
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