...my what a mess.

Earlier in the year the King asked me if I was following the NCAA division 1 matches. Of course I was, it was a fun year with so many matches available on the various television channels.
Gotta love watching vb on tv.

As a result I got to see a lot of the better teams and even got to watch some kids I used to know all grown up. Nice to see.

This Sunday, they released the brackets for the NCAA tournament... and gosh, all I can think is what a mess!

Going into that sunday, the AVCA's coach's poll and the USA today had USC as the top seed and had Texas much lower in the seeding.

Taking into account the intriguingly diverse RPI, the selection committee seeded Texas 1st and USC 7th. Almost a juxtaposition.

Luckily, I was able to watch both Texas and USC play several times this year and got to watch matches where they both won and lost. Likewize, I saw Nebraska, Illinois, Purdue, Penn, UCLA, Hawaii, Stanford, the Floridas, Minnesota, Tennessee, Cal, Washington, San Diego, among others.

I don't envy anyone the task of ranking these teams, would've been tough, but some of the regionals are ridiculously unbalanced. True the cream usually rises to the top, but I gotta wonder who was on this selection committee? ...were there any volleyball fans, people who watched a match or two there?

https://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket ... en/d1/2011

Here is what MicK Haley had to say...

https://volleyblogseattle.blogspot.com/2 ... me-to.html

USC Coach Mick Haley jokes: It's time to "Occupy NCAA"
USC's Mick Haley, coach of the team ranked #1 by both coaches and media, joked that "occupy NCAA may be the way to go."

Haley spoke by phone to ESPNU, moments after learning that the Trojans--champions of the powerful Pac-12 Conference--were seeded just seventh in the 2011 NCAA D1 Volleyball Tournament. Haley's team was put into the Hawaii bracket with Big Ten champion Nebraska, plus fellow Pac-12 teams California and Oregon.

In the latest AVCA coaches' poll, USC is #1, Nebraska is #2, Hawaii is #3, California is #10 and Oregon is #13. The 16-team Hawaii bracket also includes #18 Pepperdine, plus two teams that appeared in previous polls, Colorado State and Oklahoma. (Tomorrow's AVCA poll will likely change, given that Nebraska lost last night to unranked Northwestern, and Oregon split two matches this week with unranked Oregon State.)

"I filled out my weekly coaches' poll," Haley told ESPNU, "and three of the top four teams on my ballot are in our same bracket. I've been doing this for 40 years, and I don't miss very often."

Haley said the most difficult thing about having so many highly-regarded teams in the same bracket is having little time to prepare for what should be tough matches.

Reacting, perhaps, to statements earlier this week by Washington coach Jim McLaughlin, who called the NCAA Selection Committee's use of RPI ratings "hocus pocus" and "a joke," Haley said:

It seems to me, over the past three years, the body of work of this (selection) committee has been questioned by top coaches.

Haley clearly sent a signal that he wants to be counted among those questioning coaches.

Mary Wise's opinion...

https://www.secdigitalnetwork.com/NEWS/t ... -wise.aspx

SEC Digital Network: What are your thoughts on your NCAA Tournament draw and your opening-round matchup with Missouri?

Mary Wise: “Obviously, this is the toughest first-round draw that we’ve had in our 21 years here at UF. This will be a huge challenge against a team that will be in the SEC next year. A year from now, this would be a matchup that could never happen because they don’t have conference teams play each other in the first round. There is also some irony in that Kentucky goes to College Station to play at Texas A&M. As soon as we saw Tennessee was a No. 14 seed – and we thought they were deserving of a higher seed – we knew that we would be playing on the road.â€￾

SEC Digital Network: How much do you think playing a challenging schedule, including traveling to the Nike Volleyball Big Four Classic early in the season, will help your team to go on the road and face tough NCAA Tournament competition?

Mary Wise: “We will rely on every bit of that experience, not just from this year, but the experience our seniors have had over four years of playing really good teams. Our first-round matchup will be a neutral-site environment, or at least we hope it will be.â€￾

SEC Digital Network: How much has this year’s senior class meant to your program and how much do you want a deep NCAA Tournament run for this class of seniors?

Mary Wise: “If their careers ended today before the very first NCAA Tournament match, their names are all over the record books. They’ve been a part of such huge wins and have done so much for Florida volleyball. Right now, in terms of our seniors, it’s icing on the cake at this stage.â€￾

SEC Digital Network: You are playing for the opportunity to get back to Gainesville to play in a regional if you win the first two matches. Is that added motivation for you and your team?

Mary Wise: “I hope that will be the case next week, but right now, as good as Missouri is, they’re a tough team and they’re all we’re focused on right now. We are putting all our energy into playing our best volleyball against a really good Missouri team.â€￾

SEC Digital Network: What are your thoughts on the SEC only getting three teams in the NCAA Tournament field?

Mary Wise: “It’s disappointing. I would be really curious to have been in the room with the committee to see what went into their decision-making this year. Not knowing what they considered, there were a few head-scratchers there. You have a USC team that is ranked No. 1 in the nation and, I know, that’s not part of the equation, but they earned a No. 7 seed. That ranking came from the opinion of coaches who have seen a lot of volleyball, so I thought there were some interesting selections.â€￾

Even before the selection process, Jimmy Mac was a little leery.

https://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2016859569.html

The 64-team NCAA volleyball tournament field will be announced Sunday at 3 p.m. (ESPNU), and Washington coach Jim McLaughlin awaits its unveiling with a mix of hope and dread.

Will the Huskies (23-7, tied for fourth the Pac-12 at 15-7) be seeded as one of the tournament's top 16 teams? Or will the selection committee deem UW unworthy of its No. 11 ranking in the latest coaches poll?

The answer is important, because this year the NCAA has mandated that all 16 seeded teams will host first- and second-round matches. In recent years geography mattered more; having another invitee within driving distance boosted a school's chances of hosting.

Washington ranked 13th last season at the end of the regular season but was unseeded in the tournament for the first time in eight years. Even so, UW defeated the No. 15 and No. 2 seeds and advanced to the Elite Eight.

"It's hocus-pocus," McLaughlin said of the selection process.

"We need some people who understand the game that can go into that room, like the NCAA basketball (tournament), and say, 'This team is a good team.' I think we are. But, I'm also the coach at Washington."

In UW's favor this year: its No. 11 ranking, its Pac-12 membership (in 30 years the conference has produced 13 NCAA champions and 15 runners-up) and its reliable fan base (UW averaged 2,553 per match this season and ranked 10th in the latest NCAA attendance tally).

Hurting the Huskies: ranking 30th in the NCAA's RPI, or ratings percentage index, a hard-to-decipher gauge of competitiveness based on the winning percentages of 1) the team, 2) its opponents and 3) its opponents' opponents.

Ahead of UW in the latest RPI: mid-majors such as Northern Iowa (No. 6), Northern Illinois (No. 17) and Western Kentucky (No. 21). Meanwhile USC, No. 1 in the coaches' poll, ranks just No. 9 in the RPI. Six Pac-12 teams rank among the coaches' top 13 picks; in RPI, just three make the top 16.

"The RPI is a joke," McLaughlin said. "I think we're one of the top 10 teams in the country. I looked at some of the teams in the top 10 and there's no way you can logically look at it and say this schedule is stronger than this schedule."

In 2010, RPI apparently played a big role in determining seeds.

At 30-2, Northern Iowa (Missouri Valley Conference) was made a No. 5 seed while UW, at 21-8, was unseeded. The Huskies advanced to the Elite Eight; Northern Iowa was eliminated in the first round.

"If they're going to use RPI, tell us how to use the tool," McLaughlin said. "Do we go to the East Coast to play those teams?

"What if we don't have the money? How do we do it?

"It's got to be fair for the teams. The teams that develop and produce over the course of the year — and volleyball people know who they are — they should be rewarded. That's the whole deal for seeding. Seeding rewards people."

https://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... tournament

Interesting perspective from Mechelle Voepel, who holds nothing back calling out the selection committee.

Is Northern Iowa really better than Hawaii? Maybe so. Similar records, both with 1 loss. But honestly, if the polls have the Wahine at the three spot going in, how did they end up attracting USC and Nebraska into their bracket?

C'mon, man!

How about the flip side of that same bracket, Nebraska. They win the Big Ten championship and get the privilege of going to Hawaii to potentially face USC or Hawaii?

Stop it.

ESPN football references aside, this bracket looks interesting to say the least.

Hawaii is not that good of a team and frankly seed too high. My guess they would be in the bottom half of the BiG 10 if they were in that league. they are a mere shadow of the teams in the 80's and 90's

Losing badly in the last match of the year may have been just enough to shift Nebraska 1 spot.

I disagree on Hawaii. Played them first hand and they are very talented. We've faced Jupiter (USC) and Murrey (Cal), and Kanani is at par with those two. She's the best passer and defender of the three, and could hold her own attacking with both. I'd take Jupiter for offense but Kanani can bring the hammer as well. Hawaii wouldn't win the Big Ten, but they would certainly be in the top half.

This field is wide open. There's 10 teams that could come away with a title. Brackets are certainly a little lopsided, but you gotta play the top talent at some point. Should be a fun tournament!

Could be but you saw them early in the year and you have gotten alot better and they have been mired in the WAC. Wasn't very impressed with them when I watched their match on TV in that Championship. I can see Oregon taking them out.

good Luck Dan.

As mentioned- you have to play top teams at some point. Some teams will play them earlier than others though.

I too watched Hawaii play a few matches this year. Their stud outside is a skilled player all the way around. I like their other outside hitter too. But- will their "weaker" schedule in the second half of the season prove costly? Who knows.

I was a touch shocked when I turned on the TV and saw a 3 next to their name, but then again, that is what happens when you only lose once. Look at Houston in FBS and the traditional Boise State argument. Just food for thought I guess.

If they are ranked too high, they will lose rather early and there wont be an argument or discussion. But, I'd like to see them advance to play USC (assuming chalk holds) and see how that one pans out.

Some potential interesting match-ups from my perspective: (I use potential because it would require previous round wins from both teams)

Minnesota vs Iowa State- Iowa State held strong in the Big 12, and Minnesota notched a few signature wins in the second half of the season. (assumes Minnesota gets through washington, which could easily go Wash's way)

Pepperdine vs Cal- sweet California.

Florida vs anyone- just wondering if Wise's group led by Murphy will make a run like some have expected for the past few years.

Illinois vs Ohio State/Tennessee winner- OSU at least knows Illinois, but then again they know OSU too. Tennessee- saw them play a few weeks ago, fun team to watch. Gotta love those orange pants from the coaching staff. Either way I think Illinois wins, but ya know, had to talk about the orange pants.

UCLA vs Penn state- obvious reasons.

Texas vs Penn State- (take a deep breath, it's hypothetical). Can Texas get past the thorn in their sides for the past few NCAA tournaments?

Who will come out of Purdue/Iowa State's bracket? An interesting mix there with no clear cut stud team. I'd be surprised if anyone picked the winner of that bracket to win the championship.

Exploring one part of the bracket tree.
Hawaii/SoCal an interesting matchup if it pans out. A lot of those kids know each other very well!
Hawaii is a solid team.
Shoji is one of the US's best coaches and has proven it time and again. Although a title has escaped him for some time, his teams are still in the hunt, in spite of a rather disappointing conference competition-wise.
He may be one of the few coaches in the United States who can both successfully coach Falyn and help her mature. & that is saying a lot!
The inspiring "Kanani Danielson" leads them, she suffers from a disorder where she has to be careful not to overheat, because she doesn't sweat. https://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sp ... =133600203
Jane Croson, she of the high tossing jump serve (a technique en vogue in SoCal, as GM2 encouragers thereabouts envision jump serving a la Brazilian men, who can best accelerate and pound the highest sets) is one of last year's top recruits. A better beach player than indoors, she is one of the beach players who grew up pounding her shots rather than shooting them, is still solid and can breakout with inspired play at time.
Mita Uiato is a unpretentious setter who just gets it done.
Emily Hartong has been one of Shoji's experiments this year, at times, playing opposite. I think Shoji sees that she could be a 6 rotation player with value out of the back row, but she still plays middle very well.
Brittany Hewitt is a high percentage middle attacker and gifted blocker.
This team is complemented by a plethora of digging machines in the Hawaiian vein.
USC is a solid team, too.
Mick is the consummate politician. His ability to charm, impress, inspire and manipulate is surprising. He really knows game and he uses it to build his teams.
I recall Alex Jupiter as a junior (french) transfer high schooller making it into the main draw of the AVP and then advancing past where anyone thought she could advance. I wonder if they still call her "Frenchie" at USC. She is just plain good.
Kendall Bateman is a wise and bright setter who has improved each season.
Lauren Williams is a sound offensive middle. Natalie Hagglund is a solid libero.
I've liked the way Sara Shaw has stepped up at opportune times.
Katie Fuller (OH) and Hannah Schraer have had nice years.

Size across the front make them a tough matchup.

That said, I have seen both squads struggle at times this year. If this match happens, it will be very, very, very interesting! ...and loud!

Check out volleywood's predictions.

https://www.volleywood.net/volleyball-to ... eld-of-64/

^Texas/Purdue/USC/Illinois advancing.

Gave purdue a quick nod through that region. USC arguably with a tougher road to the final four, so I guess they will either be battle tested or worn out. Not sure I agree with all of those picks...

Interesting take on Hawaii though, vb101.

Can't wait for vb to return to television with the final four, because from what I could see, no tournament games are being broadcasted until then. Too bad if it is true...

Also, can't wait for Beth Mowens and (Karch?) to explain to everyone what the libero is again. It's a timeless moment in each year's final four.

Finals will be UCLA and Illinois. Enjoyed watching both, but Illinois vs USC was much more interesting, going to 5 sets with a great match point! Be fun to see the final on Saturday. Agree it would be nice to see more of the tournaments on tv though.