Tournament Central

National Semifinal Preview Interviews

(Courtesy GoPSUsports.com)

Where do the 2012 Final Four Fit In?

Is there greater “parity” in NCAA Division 1 volleyball?  Comparing the won-lost records (matches and sets) of the 2012 NCAA Semifinalists to the records of NCAA Volleyball champions from 1998 to 2011,the asnswer would seem to be yes. During that period, five of the 14 Champions were undefeated, and four others lost only one match all season.

Compare that to this year’s Semifinalists.  If Penn State wins the 2012 Championship, its record would rank 11th among the 15 champions.  If either Texas or Oregon wins the title, their records will rank 12th out of 15.  And if Michigan wins, it will have the worst record of any NCAA Womens Volleyball Champion in the past 15 years.

To us, that spells “parity.”  Admittedly, it’s a small sample, and it probably is too early to mark it as a trend.  But we’re guessing it is a trend, and that the reason is simple: There are more good teams, and more good coaches out there, and conferences like the Big Ten, the Big 12 and the Pac 12 are competitive on a week-in week-out basis.  That translates into more lost matches and more lost sets.

For a look at the won-lost records (matches and sets) for all of the NCAA Semifinal teams from  1998 to 2012, see the [very long] table at the end of this post.

W-L Records (Matches and Sets): NCAA Champions 1998 to 2011 (Plus 2012 Final Four)

Year	Team	Conference	NCAA Finish	Wins (Matches)	Losses (Matches)	Wins (Sets)	Losses (Sets)
2008	Penn State	Big Ten	First	38	0	114	2
2009	Penn State	Big Ten	First	38	0	114	8
1998	Long Beach	Big West	First	36	0	108	8
2003	USC	Pac 10	First	35	0	105	8
2000	Nebraska	Big 12	First	34	0	102	13
1999	Penn State	Big Ten	First	36	1	110	15
2006	Nebraska	Big 12	First	33	1	101	14
2005	Washington	Pac 10	First	32	1	98	10
2002	USC	Pac 10	First	31	1	95	12
2007	Penn State	Big Ten	First	34	2	104	18
2012	Penn State	Big Ten	?	33	2	103	18
2001	Stanford	Pac 10	First	33	2	101	21
2012	Oregon	Pac 12	?	29	4	93	23
2012	Texas	Big 12	?	27	4	86	21
2010	Penn State	Big Ten	First	32	5	103	20
2011	UCLA	Pac 12	First	30	6	97	31
2004	Stanford	Pac 10	First	30	6	98	35
2012	Michigan	Big Ten	?	27	11	92	49

Wednesday News Wrap

Lions look to slow down Ducks, Bergsma (Matt Bufano, 12-12-12, The Daily Collegian)

At the beginning of the season, thinking a Pac-12 team would reach the Final Four would be a safe assumption.

After all, the preseason coaches’ poll had teams in the premier West Coast conference claiming hold to three of the top six spots, including reigning champion UCLA at No. 1.

But the team that has made it to the Final Four, in position to face No.1 Penn State (33-2, 19-1 Big Ten) on Thursday for a chance at a spot in the national title match, is an unlikely one — Oregon (29-4,16-4).

Read the entire article at The Daily Collegian.

#5 Ducks to Face #1 Lions in NCAA Semifinal Debut (GoDucks.com 12-11-12)

This weekend, the #5-seeded University of Oregon volleyball team (29-4, 16-4) looks ahead to its first-ever NCAA Final Four appearance.  In the final week of its greatest season ever, the Ducks will play a top-ranked Penn State team (33-2, 19-1) for the second time in as many years.

In their last meeting in State College, then-unranked UO won 3-1 in the 2011 season opener and ended the four-time defending national champions’ NCAA-record 94-match home win streak.

Read the entire article at GoDucks.com.

Final Four Won-Lost Records (Matches and Sets) 1998 to 2012

A note about this table.  We believe it is accurate.  Ideally, our staff of researchers and statisticians would check all the data carefully and correct all errors.  Sadly, they are slackers and virtually useless.

Sharp-eyed readers may well find errors. We do not include errors intentionally. If these errors short-change your team, it’s not because we dislike your team.  It’s because humans are imperfect (certainly, we are), and our researchers and statisticians are slackers and reprobates.

If you find errors, we will appreciate when you point them out to us. Then, if we can find any of our slacker staff, heads will roll.  But don’t hold your breath.  They typically maintain a low-to-invisible profile.

Won-Lost Records (Matches and Sets): Final Four Teams from 1998 to 2012

Year	Team	Conference	NCAA Finish	Wins (Matches)	Losses (Matches)	Wins (Sets)	Losses (Sets)
2008	Penn State	Big Ten	First	38	0	114	2
2009	Penn State	Big Ten	First	38	0	114	8
1998	Long Beach	Big West	First	36	0	108	8
2003	USC	Pac 10	First	35	0	105	8
2000	Nebraska	Big 12	First	34	0	102	13
1999	Penn State	Big Ten	First	36	1	110	15
2006	Nebraska	Big 12	First	33	1	101	14
2005	Washington	Pac 10	First	32	1	98	10
2002	USC	Pac 10	First	31	1	95	12
2007	Penn State	Big Ten	First	34	2	104	18
2001	Stanford	Pac 10	First	33	2	101	21
2012	Texas	Big 12	First	29	4	92	23
2010	Penn State	Big Ten	First	32	5	103	20
2011	UCLA	Pac 12	First	30	6	97	31
2004	Stanford	Pac 10	First	30	6	98	35
2001	Long Beach	Big West	Second	33	1	NA	NA
1998	Penn State	Big Ten	Second	34	1	104	6
2003	Florida	SEC	Second	36	2	109	8
2005	Nebraska	Big 12	Second	33	2	101	15
2009	Texas	Big 12	Second	29	2	91	13
2007	Stanford	Pac 10	Second	32	3	101	24
1999	Stanford	Pac 10	Second	31	3	95	18
2000	Wisconsin	Big Ten	Second	33	4	NA	NA
2008	Stanford	Pac 10	Second	31	4	95	23
2006	Stanford	Pac 10	Second	30	4	92	19
2010	California	Pac 10	Second	30	4	95	23
2004	Minnesota	Big Ten	Second	33	5	105	34
2002	Stanford	Pac 10	Second	32	5	102	27
2011	Illinois	Big Ten	Second	32	5	100	43
2012	Oregon	Pac 12	Second	30	5	96	27
2003	Hawaii	WAC	Semifinals	36	2	109	16
2002	Hawaii	WAC	Semifinals	34	2	102	12
1998	Nebraska	Big 12	Semifinals	32	2	99	16
2000	Hawaii	WAC	Semifinals	31	2	95	16
2001	Nebraska	Big 12	Semifinals	31	2	94	14
1998	Florida	SEC	Semifinals	35	3	107	24
2002	Florida	SEC	Semifinals	34	3	105	17
2012	Penn State	Big Ten	Semifinals	33	3	104	21
2009	Hawaii	WAC	Semifinals	32	3	100	17
1999	Pacific	Big West	Semifinals	32	3	NA	NA
2008	Nebraska	Big 12	Semifinals	31	3	97	21
2000	USC	Pac 10	Semifinals	29	3	87	20
2004	Washington	Pac 10	Semifinals	28	3	89	23
2006	UCLA	Pac 10	Semifinals	33	4	104	24
1999	Long Beach	Big West	Semifinals	31	4	95	23
2008	Texas	Big 12	Semifinals	29	4	94	24
2011	USC	Pac 12	Semifinals	29	5	91	25
2006	Washington	Pac 10	Semifinals	29	5	92	26
2007	USC	Pac 10	Semifinals	29	5	91	35
2005	Santa Clara	WCC	Semifinals	27	5	88	30
2001	Arizona	Pac 10	Semifinals	25	5	79	25
2010	USC	Pac 10	Semifinals	29	6	91	36
2010	Texas	Big 12	Semifinals	27	6	84	34
2004	USC	Pac 10	Semifinals	23	6	76	32
2011	Florida State	ACC	Semifinals	28	7	90	39
2007	California	Pac 10	Semifinals	26	8	87	36
2009	Minnesota	Big Ten	Semifinals	28	9	88	41
2003	Minnesota	Big Ten	Semifinals	26	11	85	49
2005	Tennessee	SEC	Semifinals	25	9	80	38
2012	Michigan	Big Ten	Semifinals	27	12	94	52