Parity? Wins & Losses (Matches and Sets) for Final Four Teams from 1998 to 2016

Is there greater parity in Division 1 women’s volleyball in recent years than in the past?

The winners of the six NCAA Tournaments from 2011 to 2016 had more losses (26) than did the winners of the six NCAA Tournament from 2005 to 2010 (9).  But that’s a very small sample size.  And Penn State posted some very impressive records during the 2005 to 2010 period, coming close to perfection in 2008, with a 38-0 record and dropping only two sets all season (those two coming in the classic NCAA Semifinal match against Nebraska in Omaha), en route to winning a second consecutive NCAA Division 1 Women’s Volleyball National Championship.  The 2009 Penn State team extended the Nittany Lions’ streak of consecutive sets without a loss to 141, before losing a set to Iowa at Rec Hall on October 2, 2009.

So, small sample size, and that outlier Penn State run of four consecutive national titles from 2007 to 2010 (hard to call it anything other than an outlier when no one else has won more than two in a row).

What about sets lost?  Only four NCAA Champions in this sample dropped fewer than 10 sets in their Championship season — and two of those were Penn State teams during its four-year run — the Nittany Lions won 114 sets and dropped only 2  in 2008, and won 114 sets in 2009, while dropping only 8.  In 1998, Long Beach State went 108-8, and in 2003, USC went 105-8. The most sets lost by a Final Four team through 2016? Wisconsin’s 2013 Finalist, with 53.

But you don’t need us to compare the statistics — you can do that for yourself by taking a look at the table below, which lists the records of all the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Final Four teams from 1998 on — total wins, total losses, sets won, and sets lost.  If you click on a team’s logo, it should take you straight to the team’s website.  (Let us know if a link is broken)

If you find an error . . .

We’ll feel sheepish if we made a mistake, but tell us anyway

A final note. We tried our best to ensure that these statistics are accurate, but to err is human, and we are decidedly human, so if sharp-eyed readers notice any mistakes in this table, please let us know. We’ll be very grateful.

 

 

 

Final 4 Team Records: 1998-2018 (Click logos for more team info)

YearNCAA
Finish
TeamConf.WLSets
Won
Sets
Lost
2018ChampPac 12340110417
2018FinalsNebraskaB1G29079736
2018SemiBYU LogoWCC31029314
2018SemiOr Illini? B1G320410032
2017ChampNebraskaB1G320410124
2017FinalsFlorida GatorsSEC30029224
2017SemiPenn State

B1G330210122
2017SemiPac 1230049923
2016ChampPac 1227078937
2016FinalsBig 1228048832
2016SemiGolden Gophers logoB1G29059531
2016SemiNebraskaB1G31039621
2015ChampNebraskaB1G320410227
2015FinalsBig 1230039123
2015SemiKansas
Big 1227038530
2015SemiGolden Gophers logoB1G30059732
2014ChampPenn State

B1G360311215
2014FinalsBYU LogoWCC30059526
2014SemiPac 12330210127
2014SemiBig 1227038421
2013ChampPenn State

B1G340210621
2013FinalsOn Wisconsin? B1G28109453
2013SemiWashingtonPac 1230039128
2013SemiBig 1227038330
2012ChampBig 1231049823
2012FinalsOregon DuckPac 1230059629
2012SemiMichiganB1G27129452
2012SemiPenn State

B1G330310421
2011ChampPac 1230069731
2011FinalsOr Illini? B1G320510043
2011SemiFSUACC28079039
2011SemiPac 1229059125
2010ChampPenn State

B1G320510320
2010Finals500px-University_of_California,_Berkeley_athletic_logo_svgPac 1230049523
2010SemiBig 1228068934
2010SemiPac 1229059136
2009ChampPenn State

B1G380011408
2009FinalsBig 1229029113
2009SemiHawaiiWAC320310017
2009SemiGolden Gophers logoB1G28098841
2008ChampPenn State

B1G380011402
2008FinalsPac 1031049523
2008SemiNebraskaBig 1231039721
2008SemiBig 1229049424
2007ChampPenn State

B1G340210418
2007FinalsPac 10320310124
2007Semi500px-University_of_California,_Berkeley_athletic_logo_svgPac 1026088736
2007SemiPac 1029059135
2006ChampNebraskaBig 12330110114
2006FinalsPac 1030049219
2006SemiPac 10330410424
2006SemiWashingtonPac 1029059226
2005ChampWashingtonPac 1032019810
2005FinalsNebraskaBig 12330210115
2005SemiTennesseeSEC19127049
2005SemiSanta ClaraWCC27058830
2004ChampPac 1030069835
2004FinalsGolden Gophers logoB1G330510534
2004SemiWashingtonPac 1028038923
2004SemiPac 1023067632
2003ChampPac 10350010508
2003FinalsFlorida GatorsSEC360210908
2003SemiHawaiiWAC360210916
2003SemiGolden Gophers logoB1G26118549
2002ChampPac 1031019512
2002FinalsPac 10320510227
2002SemiHawaiiWAC340210212
2002SemiFlorida GatorsSEC340310517
2001ChampPac 10330210121
2001FinalsLong Beach StateBig West3301NANA
2001SemiNebraskaBig 1231029414
2001SemiArizonaPac 1025057925
2000ChampNebraskaBig 12340010213
2000FinalsOn Wisconsin? B1G3304NANA
2000SemiHawaiiWAC31029516
2000SemiPac 1029038720
1999ChampPenn State

B1G360111015
1999FinalsPac 1031039518
1999SemiPacificBig West3203NANA
1999SemiLong Beach StateBig West31049523
1998ChampLong Beach StateBig West360010808
1998FinalsPenn State

B1G340110406
1998SemiNebraskaBig 1232029916
1998SemiFlorida GatorsSEC350310724

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