Pre-Semifinals Interview Video; 2012 Semifinal Teams Compared to 1998-2011 Champs

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)

YearTeamConferenceNCAA FinishWins (Matches)Losses (Matches)Wins (Sets)Losses (Sets)
2008Penn StateBig TenFirst3801142
2009Penn StateBig TenFirst3801148
1998Long Beach Big WestFirst3601088
2003USC Pac 10First3501058
2000NebraskaBig 12First34010213
1999Penn State Big TenFirst36111015
2006Nebraska Big 12First33110114
2005WashingtonPac 10First3219810
2002USC Pac 10First3119512
2007Penn State Big TenFirst34210418
2012Penn StateBig Ten?33210318
2001Stanford Pac 10First33210121
2012OregonPac 12?2949323
2012TexasBig 12?2748621
2010Penn StateBig TenFirst32510320
2011UCLA Pac 12First3069731
2004Stanford Pac 10First3069835
2012MichiganBig Ten?27119249

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

YearTeamConferenceNCAA FinishWins (Matches)Losses (Matches)Wins (Sets)Losses (Sets)
2008Penn StateBig TenFirst3801142
2009Penn StateBig TenFirst3801148
1998Long Beach Big WestFirst3601088
2003USC Pac 10First3501058
2000NebraskaBig 12First34010213
1999Penn State Big TenFirst36111015
2006Nebraska Big 12First33110114
2005WashingtonPac 10First3219810
2002USC Pac 10First3119512
2007Penn State Big TenFirst34210418
2001Stanford Pac 10First33210121
2012TexasBig 12First2949223
2010Penn StateBig TenFirst32510320
2011UCLA Pac 12First3069731
2004Stanford Pac 10First3069835
2001Long Beach Big WestSecond331NANA
1998Penn StateBig TenSecond3411046
2003FloridaSECSecond3621098
2005Nebraska Big 12Second33210115
2009TexasBig 12Second2929113
2007Stanford Pac 10Second32310124
1999Stanford Pac 10Second3139518
2000WisconsinBig TenSecond334NANA
2008Stanford Pac 10Second3149523
2006Stanford Pac 10Second3049219
2010CaliforniaPac 10Second3049523
2004MinnesotaBig TenSecond33510534
2002Stanford Pac 10Second32510227
2011IllinoisBig TenSecond32510043
2012OregonPac 12Second3059627
2003HawaiiWACSemifinals36210916
2002HawaiiWACSemifinals34210212
1998Nebraska Big 12Semifinals3229916
2000HawaiiWACSemifinals3129516
2001Nebraska Big 12Semifinals3129414
1998FloridaSECSemifinals35310724
2002FloridaSECSemifinals34310517
2012Penn StateBig TenSemifinals33310421
2009HawaiiWACSemifinals32310017
1999PacificBig WestSemifinals323NANA
2008Nebraska Big 12Semifinals3139721
2000USCPac 10Semifinals2938720
2004WashingtonPac 10Semifinals2838923
2006UCLAPac 10Semifinals33410424
1999Long Beach Big WestSemifinals3149523
2008TexasBig 12Semifinals2949424
2011USCPac 12Semifinals2959125
2006WashingtonPac 10Semifinals2959226
2007USC Pac 10Semifinals2959135
2005Santa ClaraWCCSemifinals2758830
2001ArizonaPac 10Semifinals2557925
2010USCPac 10Semifinals2969136
2010TexasBig 12Semifinals2768434
2004USC Pac 10Semifinals2367632
2011Florida StateACCSemifinals2879039
2007CaliforniaPac 10Semifinals2688736
2009MinnesotaBig TenSemifinals2898841
2003MinnesotaBig TenSemifinals26118549
2005TennesseeSECSemifinals2598038
2012MichiganBig TenSemifinals27129452