Because the NCAA Division I-II males’s common season winds down this week and convention tournaments start, everybody appears to be chasing Lengthy Seaside State, the close to unanimous No. 1 within the AVCA coaches ballot
However can No. 2 UCLA defend its title?
And if Lengthy Seaside wins the Massive West and UCLA the MPSF, which of both No. 3 Grand Canyon, No. 4 UC Irvine or No. 5 Hawai’i’ll get not noted of the eight-team NCAA discipline?
The Nationwide Collegiate Males’s Volleyball Championship at Lengthy Seaside State begins with quarterfinals April 30 that can embrace six winners of computerized bids and simply two at-large groups. Meaning a reasonably stout squad might be not noted.
Automated bids go to winners of the Massive West, Convention Carolinas, EIVA, MIVA, MPSF and — for the primary time — the SIAC.
Meaning simply two at-large bids within the eight-team bracket, which is able to make for some tough selections for the NCAA choice committee.
The match at Lengthy Seaside State’s Walter Pyramid has a standard format of the No. 1 seed vs. No. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5.
The semifinals are Could 2 and the national-championship match is Could 4.
Massive West
When the season started, Lengthy Seaside State, on paper, appeared to have the mandatory chops to unseat UCLA as nationwide champion. Coach Alan Knipe’s staff (22-1, 8-0 Massive West) has completed nothing to change that notion.
Behind a staunch protection that leads the nation in blocks per set (3.36) – freshman Lazar Bouchkov (1.37) and senior Simon Torwie (1.32) rank first and third nationally – Seaside limits opponents to only .166 hitting. Additionally tops within the nation, by the best way.
Having arguably the most effective libero within the nation (senior Mason Briggs, sixth within the nation at 2.43 digs per set) doesn’t damage the protection’s numbers both.
The Seaside is using a 12-match successful streak throughout which it has dropped solely seven units. Lengthy Seaside concludes the common season with a home-and-home showdown with Cal Irvine.
UC Irvine (17-8, 6-2 Massive West) is coming off a break up with Hawai’i, emblematic of what has been a see-saw 12 months.
UCI has wins over Hawai’i, No. 6 BYU (twice) and GCU, which held the highest spot within the ballot briefly this season. However the Anteaters even have misplaced twice to Hawai’i (one within the out-of-conference Outrigger Invitational), twice to UCLA and as soon as every to Lewis and CSUN.
However coach David Kniffin is assured his staff is able to lasting awhile within the postseason. Accidents have restricted the variety of occasions he has had his projected beginning lineup on the ground. That lineup, nevertheless, has virtually at all times included junior Hilir Henno, the favourite to be nationwide participant of the 12 months.
“Hilir out of necessity has needed to carry extra of a load than we calculated he would wish to, and he’s responded exceptionally properly,” Kniffin mentioned. “If he’s not participant of the 12 months, I don’t know who’s.
“He’s form of been pressured into all conditions and has performed actually above an anticipated stage.”
To wit, Henno, a 6-foot-8 French exterior hitter, is averaging 4.73 kills per set, which is second within the nation, hitting .383, averaging 1.38 digs per set and has 43 service aces and 53 whole blocks.
Hawai’i (21-5, 4-4 Massive West) is a curious case. Spyros Chakas was misplaced for the season. The Greek was averaging 4.15 kills-per-set whereas hitting .417 and may need had the sting on Henno for participant of the 12 months.
The Rainbow Warriors enter the ultimate sequence of the common season with UC San Diego at 21-5, however that features going 4-4 since Chakas’ damage in mid-March.
Hawai’i nonetheless has loads of firepower with the likes of senior Alaka’i Todd (3.20 kills per set), freshman Louis Sakanoko (2.15 kills per set) and fifth-years Chaz Galloway (2.03) and Guilherme Voss (1.87).
They usually have a dynamic freshman setter in Tread Rosenthal – all 6-foot-9 of him – who already is establishing himself as one of many nation’s greatest (10.09 assists per set).
The massive query is: If Hawai’i doesn’t win the convention match and finishes tied for second with UCI or behind UCI in third within the standings, would the NCAA give each computerized bids to the Massive West?
“I at all times marvel if the NCAA can be keen to try this,” Kniffin mentioned. “The convention tournaments are actually based mostly round alternative, creating alternative throughout the nation. … We’re positively not placing the most effective eight groups within the nation within the NCAA Match.
“When it comes down to 2 at-larges from the identical convention, I feel that’s in battle with the NCAA’s aims.”
Convention Carolinas
Belmont Abbey (17-4, 12-1 Convention Carolinas) heads into the ultimate week of regular-season with a two-game lead over North Greenville (13-8, 10-3). And it seems this could possibly be a two-horse race for the convention’s computerized NCAA bid.
Belmont Abbey has two gamers averaging higher than three kills per set: redshirt freshman Zach Puentes (3.37) and junior Matthew Staskunas (3.21).
North Greenville, led by senior Diego Rosich’s 3.34 kills per set and freshman Logan Taylor’s 10.20 assists, is the one staff to beat Belmont Abbey within the convention. However North Greenville has had some shocking stumbles, shedding to King and Barton, each within the backside half of the convention standings.
Don’t low cost Erskine (9-4 within the convention) and Mount Olive (8-5). Erskine has a three-headed offensive assault with senior Edgerrin Austin (3.67 kills), sophomore Pablo Zamar (3.39) and senior Kacper Rybarczyk (2.83). Mount Olive, in the meantime, brings the protection, with freshman Maksim Kazanov, junior Holden Maryott and sophomore Constantinos Iacovou all averaging greater than a block per set.
EIVA
Penn State (19-6, 8-0 EIVA) and red-hot George Mason (17-7, 6-2) meet for 2 matches in State School, Pa., this weekend with the convention’s high seed on the road.
However what if Penn State doesn’t do what it’s “purported to” do? What if it will get upset within the EIVA Match?
It occurred two years in the past, when Princeton swooped in and knocked the Nittany Lions out within the EIVA semis on its option to incomes the convention’s auto bid.
Penn State actually might make a case for an at-large bid if it at the least will get to the EIVA remaining. It beat Ohio State in back-to-back January matches when the Buckeyes had been No. 1 and likewise has a win over Ball State. However Penn State additionally has losses to UCLA, CSUN and Purdue Fort Wayne.
Plus, the Nittany Lions – in all probability – can be competing with the losers of the Massive West and MPSF tournaments for an auto bid. That (in all probability) would imply some mixture of Lengthy Seaside State, UCI, Hawai’i, Grand Canyon and UCLA.
For anybody else within the EIVA, their solely hope is to win the match.
One remaining be aware on Penn State: It has completed a good job filling the monumental holes left by the graduations of Cal Fisher, Brett Wildman and setter Cole Bogner. Fifth-year John Kerr leads the staff with 3.64 kills per set and hits at a .345 clip, whereas senior center Toby Ezeonu, at .485, is among the many highest share hitters within the nation.
Freshman Michael Schwob and senior Luke Snyder have break up setting duties all through the season, with every contributing within the 9.50 assists-per-set vary.
Mason has received 12 matches in a row and juinor Omar Hoyos is averaging 3.58 kills and has 28 aces.
MIVA
The MIVA shapes up as one of many extra fascinating races.
Ball State (20-9, 13-3 MIVA), Loyola Chicago (18-9, 12-4) and Ohio State (19-8, 11-5) completed the common season 1-2-3. Anyone is able to taking the convention match title.
Ball State is the most popular of the bunch, having received 12 of its previous 14 matches. That adopted a streak of shedding 5 of six. Coach Donan Cruz has been coping with accidents all through his lineup all season and consistently has needed to regulate.
“The MIVA has been such a enjoyable common season,” Cruz mentioned. “I feel our league is able to enjoying a few of the greatest volleyball within the nation. … It’s very clear that our means to beat a few of the greatest groups within the nation is there.
“We be ok with the place we’re at proper now. Our staff is comparatively wholesome. We’re, clearly, out one among our high outsides, however that has by no means been an excuse for us within the matches that now we have needed to compete with out him. And I feel our staff has actually stepped up. Actually all year long, we’ve been a chunk right here and a chunk there not within the lineup, and we’ve by no means performed full energy for a streak of matches. The following man up mentality has been the story of our season, and we’ve actually dealt with that with grace and maturity.”
Happily for the Cardinals, they’ve one of the crucial dynamic gamers within the nation in junior Tinaishe “Mr. T.” Ndavazocheva (4.05, kills, 1.30 digs, 19 aces).
If Ball State ought to lose at any level within the convention match, its probabilities for an at-large bid can be on shaky floor. The Cardinals have a win over Ohio State, however lack what may be thought-about a signature victory (or two) that may impress the choice committee.
“Sadly I feel the metric that’s used (to make match choices) doesn’t actually permit a possibility for us this 12 months. I feel we’re going to need to win out,” Cruz mentioned. “I don’t say that as if I’ve an issue with system and the metric that we use. I’m simply merely saying it’s a numbers factor.
“We’ve had our alternatives, and perhaps if we had completed higher successful a kind of BYU matches on the street, we had our alternatives with Stanford and USC. … We felt like we had alternatives and we didn’t make the most of these non-conference matches. And the character of the place different high groups in different conferences are, I might assume they’re in higher place.”
Cruz, as in all probability is the case with many coaches, want to see a bigger match bracket. For now, that is the hand the MIVA and the opposite conferences are dealt.
Ohio State may need a greater probability at an at-large even when it doesn’t win the convention match. The Buckeyes spent a while at No. 1 this season and have wins over UCLA, USC (twice), Lewis (twice) and Ball State.
However Ohio State is staggering on the stretch, having gone 5-5 in its previous 10 matches. After all, any staff with senior Jacob Pasteur (3.39 kills per set, 55 whole aces, 1.21 digs per set and 44 whole blocks) has an opportunity.
And Pasteur has been satisfied from Day 1 that this staff can shake off adversity.
“What this group has completed, particularly within the final 12 months, is studying how one can win,” Pasteur mentioned throughout the early season First Level Problem in Austin, Texas. “Ohio State has at all times had a very good quantity of expertise to win, but it surely’s that psychological fortitude and understanding your state of affairs.
“This group has labored actually, actually exhausting at being losers, utterly trustworthy,” Pasteur continued with amusing. “Our first two years, I consider we had been an under-.500 staff. It stings and … I feel some groups get used to that, shedding again and again. A giant credit score to our employees and our gamers and our leaders to take management over our staff and our program to a level the place we will learn to win.”
Loyola has a win over Hawai’i – earlier than the Chakas damage – and two over Ohio State and has break up with Lindenwood.
Lindenwood?
Apart from Ball State, the darkhorse Royals (13-11, 9-7)are the most popular staff within the MIVA, having received six straight, together with a victory over Ohio State. Additionally they have a win over Loyola on February 23 and a sweep of McKendree, which was No. 18 on the time, on March 20 to kick off the successful streak.
Serving has been a giant weapon for the Royals, with seniors A.J. Lewis (.488) and Clay Wieter (.482) rating 6-7 within the nation in aces per set. As a staff, Lindenwood ranked No. 12 nationally in aces per set (1.64 per set). Wieter additionally averages 3.28 kills per set.
MPSF
UCLA (20-4, 9-1) reasserted itself because the alpha canine within the convention by sweeping beforehand unbeaten (within the convention) Grand Canyon (20-4, 8-2) over the weekend. Barring a significant slip-up towards 0-10 Concordia Irvine this coming weekend, the Bruins would be the high seed within the MPSF Match.
Earlier than a match was even performed this season, many appeared prepared handy a second consecutive nationwide title to UCLA, which returned most of its principal gamers. However, in January, coach John Speraw cautioned that “this cake isn’t baked but.”
Properly, maybe the timer on the oven simply went off.
UCLA has received 9 in a row and exhibits each signal of trying just like the staff most thought they’d be. The Bruins appear to be doing every part proper: serving folks off the court docket (third nationally with 1.93 aces per set), enjoying protection (seventh nationally at 2.48 blocks per set) and hitting with effectivity (first nationally at .368).
GCU, although not an enormous one, has been a shock. The Lopes stay a harmful membership and a troublesome out. They’re fourth within the nation in hitting (.349), tenth in blocks (2.32) and third at 12.92 kills per set.
Junior setter Nicholas Slight ranks third within the nation at 10.61 assists per set, and sophomore center Cameron Thorne ranks fourth within the nation at 1.32 blocks.
BYU (16-8, 7-5) can’t be counted out, both. And although they in all probability haven’t carried out as much as expectations, Stanford (11-11, 4-6), Pepperdine (17-8, 5-5) and USC (12-12, 3-7) are at all times harmful.
If the convention championship match comes all the way down to UCLA and GCU, the choice committee could have a tough time not giving the loser one of many two computerized bids.
However UCI’s Kniffin harkens again to what occurred to his group final season and mentioned it may not be that cut-and-dried.
“We didn’t go to the NCAA Match final 12 months, and the knock on us was that we didn’t beat a top-five staff regardless of beating Lengthy Seaside in our convention match,” he mentioned. “Grand Canyon … in addition they haven’t crushed a top-five staff.
“They misplaced the head-to-head match up with us, and if UCLA does win the convention match, I feel the committee can be in an fascinating spot the place your solely pure choices can be to place three Massive West groups within the match.”
SIAC
Somebody goes to make historical past. That is the primary 12 months that the Division II convention comprising of traditionally Black faculties will get an computerized bid.
The battle within the winner-take-all convention match appears to be like to be coming all the way down to Fort Valley State (12-8, 8-0) and Edward Waters (11-14, 8-1). The faculties will meet Friday at Edward Waters.
Fort Valley sophomore Isaiah Fedd leads the convention in hitting (.339) and is second in kills per set (3.35). FVS, the truth is, has three of the convention’s high 4 hitters by way of share: Fedd, junior Jaxon Hicks (second, .292) and senior Chey Cooper (fourth, .259).
Fedd and Cooper, in the meantime, rank 1-2 within the convention in aces (0.57, 0.44).
Edward Waters junior Tavion Ford leads the SIAC in kills per set (3.66), and sophomore Richard Hendricks ranks fourth (2.84).
Flash within the pan?
The Northeast Convention doesn’t but qualify for an computerized NCAA bid. So St. Francis (PA) hopes an at-large may be within the offing.
Regardless of the Crimson Flash being unbeaten within the convention with two matches to go towards Fairleigh Dickinson this weekend, their resume for an at-large can be a troublesome promote. St. Francis lacks a signature win, failing to defeat any packages with match pedigree.
Mike Rumbaugh, the Crimson Flash’s affable, longtime coach, may need to attend till the NEC qualifies for an computerized bid to lastly get his long-awaited journey to nationals.