NCAA Girls
December 31, 2023
That’s a wrap on 2023.
We coated the heck out of it.
Fast historical past: My late, nice associate, Ed Chan, and I purchased Volleyball journal in 2016. The very first thing we did — and we needed to do to make it work — was cease the print version.
We all the time hoped we might see it once more …
Final yr, on the AVCA Conference in Omaha, we revived it, albeit on a really small foundation. However we have been a part of the printed AVCA program, and it was particular. For that matter, it was type of emotional to really contact and maintain {a magazine}. We even used the outdated Volleyball journal brand. I want Ed may have been there.
Our function was expanded this yr as as soon as once more all of the contributors within the conference received a program that included one other Volleyball journal insert. Included in that was the next column, written earlier than all of us headed to Tampa.
This has been a report yr for VolleyballMag in so some ways, not the least of which is that we’ve obliterated our earlier greatest web page views report by greater than 300,000.
Our protection is healthier than ever. On this case, it’s about NCAA ladies’s volleyball, however we have been throughout seaside, males’s, professional, membership and highschool. And we are going to proceed to develop in 2024 because of an amazing workers and VBM group and — most significantly — you, our readers, and a fantastic sport that has us all excited greater than ever.
That being stated, please get pleasure from my ode to 2023 which actually did seem in print:
That is the yr that was.
Welcome to Tampa. And thanks for being part of the yr that we’ll all look again upon because the one when school volleyball didn’t simply recover from the hump:
It vaulted into the on a regular basis sports activities limelight.
That is the yr that 92,003 followers watched a volleyball match in Nebraska’s soccer stadium.
That is the yr {that a} week later, Wisconsin performed Marquette earlier than 17,037, an American indoor regular-season volleyball report, and nobody appeared to offer it a second thought.
Seemingly each dwelling group set attendance information.
Small gyms? Packed. Greater arenas? Packed extra. The AVCA famous that 31 Division I faculties set single-match attendance information.
That is the yr that TV rankings have been higher than ever. After which higher than that. After which higher than that.
NCAA volleyball made the ESPN highlights greater than ever. The ESPN and Massive Ten Community volleyball rankings have been unimaginable. Information retailers across the nation not solely paid homage to the stadium match, however paid consideration after that.
Individuals who wouldn’t know a volleyball from a hockey puck watched our sport. After which they watched it many times..
They watched as a result of it’s a fantastic sport performed by lovely, sleek and stylish athletes and it’s thrilling as hell, match in and match out.
We’re all a part of one thing actually particular happening in our sport and, for those who’re right here for the NCAA Division I Girls’s Volleyball Championship as an AVCA member, as a fan, as somebody new to our sport, nicely, your timing is ideal.
A bit of reflection on this NCAA season, finally the explanation we’re all right here. Effectively, there may be the AVCA Conference, after all, and even I’m presenting, so to talk, after I interview five-time Olympian Danielle Scott (plan now for two:45 p.m. Friday: Teaching Me Half 1: “If I May Have Coached Myself…” (offered by Variety Improvement Crew).
OK again to the NCAA season, one which started with a shocking improvement. Texas, the defending nationwide champion, misplaced in 4 at Lengthy Seaside State. That was on August 25. That was with out star center Asjia O’Neal, and Texas is 26-3 since and it labored out OK for the Longhorns. However that was portend of issues to come back in what turned out to be a wacky and great season.
One other facet be aware: Within the AVCA preseason coaches ballot, Texas was No. 1, Wisconsin No. 2, Stanford No. 3, Louisville No. 4, and Nebraska and Pittsburgh tied for No. 5. The ultimate 4 contributors all had their travails — no group makes it this far with out overcoming obstacles — however all are fairly particular.
High-seeded Nebraska begins 4 freshmen. The final group to have 4 freshman starters and get this far was Stanford in 2016 and the Cardinal gained all of it. They usually gained two extra earlier than they graduated. May this be the beginning of a Nebraska run for a program that hasn’t gained since 2017?
Third-seeded Wisconsin misplaced three matches, all within the Massive Ten, at Nebraska, after which at Penn State and Purdue with out 6-foot-9 Anna Smrek. The Canadian is the tallest participant right here and a famous person who performs alongside a 6-7 teammate. Wisconsin gained all of it in 2021.
Fourth-seeded Pittsburgh, one other group loaded with freshmen, is within the nationwide semifinals for the third yr in a row. When Pitt and Louisville went two years in the past, no ACC group had ever superior that far. They each made it final yr and Pitt needed to beat Louisville by pulling a reverse sweep to get right here.
And Texas? You needed to marvel what would occur if the Longhorns ever put all of it collectively they usually have, that’s for positive. Madisen Skinner has been spectacular and the aforementioned O’Neal is an Olympic group candidate.
One other facet be aware: That is the second yr that we’re lucky sufficient to collaborate with the AVCA and have a print version of Volleyball journal. Once we did it final yr, it was the primary print model since we went completely digital in 2016, so that is tremendous thrilling.
And talking of thrilling …
There isn’t any doubt that when Texas performs Wisconsin and Nebraska performs Pittsburgh on Thursday in Amalie Enviornment the place will offered out and rocking.
However it gained’t finish there.
Issues will wrap up right here Sunday when the championship match is proven on ABC — for the primary time on community TV — as extra historical past shall be made.
Congratulations to us all and always remember that we have been all part of the yr that was.