Category: College

  • NCAA semifinal attendance takes hit without UCLA in tournament

    It helps to have the host school in the NCAA Tournament when it comes to semifinals attendance numbers.

    The UCLA athletics department informed Off the Block on Friday that 2,935 people were in attendance for both men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament semifinal matches — the lowest semifinal attendance since 2007.
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  • Initial look at the NCAA Tournament championship match

    It’s all down to two teams trying to win the biggest prize in college men’s volleyball.

    The No. 1 seed BYU and the No. 2 seed UC Irvine both won their semifinal matches Thursday and will advance to play each other in the NCAA Tournament championship match on Saturday in Los Angeles. Here is the initial look and the historical information to know about this title match.
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  • NCAA semifinals postmatch news conference: BYU vs. Penn State

    For the first time in almost a decade, BYU is back in the national championship match.

    The No. 1 seed BYU overcame a five-point deficit in the third game to complete the sweep against the No. 4 seed Penn State in the NCAA Tournament semifinals on Thursday in Los Angeles.

    Following the match, the coaches and players from both BYU and Penn State addressed the media in a postmatch news conference. Check out what each team had to say about the semifinal match.
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  • NCAA semifinals postmatch news conference: UC Irvine vs. Loyola

    It took two overtime games, but the No. 2 seed UC Irvine was able to sweep the No. 3 seed Loyola in the NCAA Tournament semifinals on Thursday in Los Angeles to advance to the national championship match.

    Following the match, the coaches and players from both Loyola and UC Irvine addressed the media in a postmatch news conference to discuss semifinal. Check out what each team had to say about the match.
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  • Sander powers top-seed BYU past Penn State and into NCAA title match

    One day after not winning National Player of the Year, BYU All-American outside attacker Taylor Sander made his case on the court for why he should have won the award.

    Sander had a match-high 17 kills as the No. 1 seed BYU swept the No. 4 seed Penn State 25-21, 25-16, 25-22 in the NCAA Tournament semifinals on Thursday in Los Angeles to advance to the national championship match.
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  • UC Irvine survives two overtimes to beat Loyola in NCAA semifinals

    Air France has lifted UC Irvine to the brink of another national championship.

    Anteater All-American and French National Team outside attacker Kevin Tillie had a match-high 14 kills and seven digs as UC Irvine swept Loyola 26-24, 25-18, 29-27 in the NCAA Tournament semifinals on Thursday in Los Angeles.
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  • NCAA Tournament semifinal men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

    After four months of play, the NCAA Tournament is here and by the end of the night only two teams will still have chance at winning the national championship.

    The NCAA Tournament semifinals begin tonight with UC Irvine and Loyola playing each other in a potentially historic match for both schools. In addition, in the semifinal nightcap two conference champions Penn State and BYU will met with a spot in the national championship match on the line.

    Check out the NCAA Tournament semifinal matches to follow tonight.
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  • Video: UC Irvine vs. Loyola NCAA Tournament semifinals pregame show

    UC Irvine is two wins aways from becoming the first repeat national champion in almost 20 years but it will first have to get past a Loyola team its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

    The No. 2 UC Irvine after earning the only at-large bid to the four-team NCAA Tournament will play the No. 3 seed and MIVA champions Loyola in the semifinals at 6 p.m. (PST) Thursday in Los Angeles. Off the Block editor Vinnie Lopes breaks down the match and the big storylines to follow as the Anteaters and Ramblers play for a spot in the NCAA championship match.
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  • Video: BYU vs. Penn State NCAA Tournament semifinals pregame show

    After winning their conference tournaments champions during the weekend, BYU and Penn State will now meet for spot in the national championship match.

    The No. 1 seed BYU will play the No. 4 seed Penn State in the NCAA Tournament semifinals at 6 p.m. (PST) Thursday in Los Angeles. Off the Block editor Vinnie Lopes and Darian Somers, Penn State volleyball beat reporter for The Daily Collegian, breakdown the semifinal match and discuss if Nittany Lions have a chance to pull off the upset against the Cougars.
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  • BYU coach McGown selected as National Coach of the Year

    Add another top coaching award to BYU coach Chris McGown’s list this season.

    Hours before BYU plays in its men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament semifinals match, the AVCA announced Thursday afternoon that McGown was selected as the 2013 Men’s Division I-II National Coach of the Year.
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