Off the Block

Category: College

  • The AVCA top 30 volleyball coaches less than 30 years old

    Three college men’s volleyball coaches were ranked among the 30 best volleyball coaches less than 30 years old.

    Lewis assistant coach Andy Cole, St. Ambrose University head coach Bill Gleeson and Wentworth Institute of Technology head coach Robert Mullowney were the only college men’s coaches selected to the American Volleyball Coaches Association annual list released Wednesday.
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  • My men’s volleyball media poll ballot

    What a difference a year makes deciding who is No. 1 in the rankings.

    For most of last season there was a revolving door at the No. 1 spot with three teams having the top ranking by late February. However, this season USC has maintained the No. 1 spot since the preseason and is receiving all but one first-place vote in the coaches and media poll for the second consecutive week.
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  • Top 5 men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

    There is only one match between two top 10 ranked teams tonight, but as today has shown rankings are not needed for intrigue.

    No. 9 Penn State this afternoon survived in five games against Lees-McRae, which was attempting to be the first team from the Conference Carolinas to defeat a top 10 ranked team. In addition, one week ago all five of the top ranked lost, with four of them losing to teams outside of the top 10.

    Check out the top five men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight.
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  • No. 5 Ohio State vs. Ball State: postmatch press conferecne

    No. 5 Ohio State (10-2, 4-0 MIVA) remained undefeated in conference play as it swept Ball State (6-5, 1-2 MIVA) 25-16, 25-21, 28-26 on Friday at Worthen Arena.

    With this victory the Buckeyes extended their nation-best winning streak to 10 matches and will likely remain in the top five of next week’s national rankings. This was also the ninth consecutive match that Ball State has lost to Ohio State — the worst losing streak against the Buckeyes in Cardinals’ 47-year program history.

    Check out this postmatch press conference with Ball State coach Joel Walton as he discusses his team’s struggles in the match, some positives they can take from the loss and if this is the best Ohio State he has ever seen.
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  • Top 5 men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

    After two weeks of teams primarily playing non-conference matches, the conference season has returned in full force this weekend.

    Already two of the top five teams have lost this week and three more of the top-five teams have conference matches tonight. In addition, tonight features No. 5 Ohio State and Ball State renewing the oldest Midwest men’s volleyball rivalry and two conference leaders playing each other in one of the few non-conference matches.

    Check out the top five men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight.
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  • Q&A with Ohio State coach Pete Hanson

    There is a legitimate national championship contender at Ohio State, besides the teams on the football field and basketball court.

    After losing its first two matches of the season, the No. 5 Ohio State men’s volleyball team (9-2, 3-0 MIVA) has won its last nine matches, including victories against No. 8 UC Irvine, No. 9 Penn State and Cal State Northridge in the last two weeks. In addition, the Buckeyes are in first place in the MIVA and received a first-place vote in both the coaches and media polls this week.

    Off the Block conducted an interview earlier this week with Ohio State coach Pete Hanson to discuss his team’s recent success and the possibility of this being a national championship team.
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  • My men’s volleyball media poll ballot

    Everyone in the top five of the national rankings picked a good week to lose.

    For the first time in NCAA men’s volleyball history, all five of the top ranked teams Friday lost on a single night. It was one of the biggest oddities in my time covering men’s volleyball and created an interesting situation for this week’s poll.
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  • Top 5 matches to follow tonight

    A day after one of the most historical nights of upsets in NCAA men’s volleyball history that featured all five top ranked teams losing, Saturday’s lineup is almost just as intriguing.

    Everything from conference rivalries to teams in dire need to pick up a victory highlights tonight’s schedule.

    Check out the top five matches to follow tonight as this chaotic weekend in men’s volleyball begins to wind down.
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  • Scraping the wreckage of a historical upset Friday

    The oddity of Friday night may be a first in the 41-year history of NCAA men’s volleyball.

    All of the top five ranked teams in the ASICS/Volleyball Magazine Men’s Division I-II Media Poll — No. 1 USC, No. 2 Long Beach State, No. 3 BYU, No. 4 Stanford and No. 5 UCLA — lost Friday.

    With a majority of the top 10 nationally ranked teams being in the MPSF, it is not unusual for one or two of the top five teams to lose a match during a weekend. However, I can never recall or find another incense when all five of the top ranked teams lost in a single day.
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  • Q&A with Long Beach State coach Andy Read

    One of the biggest surprise teams this season has been No. 2 Long Beach State — just don’t tell that to any of the 49er players or coaching staff.

    After being projected in the preseason poll to finish the MPSF in ninth place, Long Beach State (6-3, 5-1 MPSF) is in second place in the conference and swept the defending NCAA champions Stanford in its most recent match. That victory also extended the 49ers’ winning streak to four matches.

    The early season success has surprised most people, except for 49ers interim head coach Andy Read and his players.

    Following a bye week and with Long Beach State preparing for its match against Cal State Northridge on Friday, Off the Block conducted an interview with Read to discuss the team’s recent success.
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