Off the Block

Tag: USC

  • VIDEO: Q&A with USC coach Bill Ferguson

    The undefeated Trojans will get its biggest test of the season so far this weekend.

    No. 6 USC will play No. 1 BYU in a conference two-match series on Friday and Saturday in Provo, Utah. USC (3-0) defeated Long Beach State and Cal State Northridge last week to open MPSF play, while BYU (5-1) swept then-No. 1 UC Irvine in a two-match series last week to move back atop the national rankings.

    Check out this video interview with USC coach Bill Ferguson as he discusses his team’s play last week and preparing to to travel to BYU.
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  • My men’s volleyball media poll ballot

    For the second straight week there is a new No. 1 in the men’s volleyball national media poll.

    BYU’s two victories against then-No. 1 UC Irvine was enough to move the Cougars back to No. 1 after a one-week absence from the top spot in the rankings. Despite the two losses, UC Irvine didn’t fall far the top and finished at No. 2.

    Check out this week’s top 10 men’s volleyball media poll and my ballot with explanations on why ranked each team where I did.
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  • In a sentence or two about every NCAA men’s volleyball team

    Most of the time all the preseason talk surrounding a team can be summed up in one or two sentences — and that’s what we did.

    With the NCAA men’s volleyball season beginning in earnest this weekend, get a quick breakdown of every men’s volleyball team from around the nation as they enter the 2012 season.

    Check out what to know about each Division I-II men’s volleyball team at the start of the 2012 season.
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  • Players to watch for the 2012 AVCA Newcomer of Year award

    A new season in college men’s volleyball also means plenty of new players — freshmen and transfer students — for each team in the nation.

    Predicting how well a player will do in his first season with a new team is always a challenge. With the NCAA men’s volleyball season starting this week, though, there are several candidates who could become the 2012 AVCA Newcomer of the Year.

    Check out the top 10 preseason favorites to win the 2012 AVCA Newcomer of the Year award at the end of the regular season.
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  • Players to watch for the 2012 AVCA Player of Year award

    The field is wide open this year for the biggest individual award in college men’s volleyball.

    With the NCAA men’s volleyball season starting this week, there are numerous candidates who could be the 2012 AVCA Player of the Year this season.

    Check out the preseason favorites and the dark horse candidates who could win the Division I-II AVCA Player of the Year at the end of the regular season.
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  • Four dark horse teams that could crash the 2012 Final Four

    Everyone loves an underdog story during the postseason — especially when you’ve been saying since the start of the year that it was the team to watch.

    With the regular season set to start this week, there are the likely favorites to reach the Final Four. BYU, UC Irvine, Stanford and UCLA are the favorites from the MPSF, while Ohio State and Loyola are favorites in the MIVA and Penn State is the favorite in the EIVA.

    However, there are several dark horse teams from each conference that could crash the Final Four this year.
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  • Projected preseason top 10 national rankings: No. 6 USC

    USC is projected by Off the Block to be No. 6 in the preseason national rankings.

    Off the Block throughout December will reveal its projected men’s volleyball preseason top 10 national rankings and will profile a top-10 team each day. The Off the Block projected preseason rankings were created independently of the AVCA Coaches Poll and the Volleyball Magazine Top 10 Media Poll.

    The college men’s volleyball season begins on Jan. 3 and concludes with the Final Four in May.
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  • 2012 Off the Block Preseason All-American Teams released

    A nationwide voting committee selected 21 players to the Off the Block Preseason All-American Teams.

    The Off the Block Preseason All-American Teams recognizes the Division I-II men’s volleyball players projected to be the best in the nation during the upcoming season. Ten players were selected as Preseason First-Team All-Americans and 11 players were named Preseason Second-Team All-Americans.
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  • Thanksgiving 2011: 11 things to be thankful about in college volleyball

    It is the week of giving thanks and college men’s volleyball followers and fans can be thankful about plenty of things in the sport.

    Whether it is a playoff format to determine a champion or the individuals returning for the upcoming season, there are many good things happening in the sport right now. It’s now time to give thanks to some of those things in college men’s volleyball.

    Here’s the list of the 11 things in college men’s volleyball to be thankful about for Thanksgiving 2011.
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  • USC adds 6 high school seniors to 2012 recruiting class

    Two former members of the U.S. Boy’s Youth National Team highlights the USC 2012 recruiting class.

    The Trojans announced this weekend that six high school seniors signed letters of intent with USC, including Michael Mullahey and Josh Kirchner who represented the United States in international tournaments this summer.

    Kirchner, a 6-foot-6-inch middle blocker from Hamilton High in Wisconsin, was a member of the 2011 U.S. Boy’s Youth National Team that won a bronze medal at the Pan American Cup and ended the Youth World Championships in 11th place. In addition, Mullahey, a 6-foot-5-inch setter from Loyola High in Los Angeles, was an alternate on the U.S. team.
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