Pursuit of Perfection: Won-Lost Records (Matches and Sets) — NCAA Final Four Teams from 1998 to 2014

In 2009, the Nittany Lions came close to perfection
In 2008, the Nittany Lions came close to perfection

Perfection in sports is rare. The Penn State Women’s Volleyball team came close in 2008, going 38-0 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.

In 2009, Penn State extended its streak of consecutive sets without a loss to 141, before losing a set to Iowa at Rec Hall on October 2nd, followed by another dropped set on October 7th, (this time to Ohio State), and then two more against Michigan on October 16th, and ended with a 2009 total of eight sets lost.  The 2009 Penn State team ended its season with a third consecutive NCAA Division 1 Women’s Volleyball National Championship.

How do those teams stack up to other teams that have made the Final Four?  To answer that question, we took a look at the records of all the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Final Four teams from 1998 on (admittedly, a somewhat arbitrary choice) — total wins, total losses, sets won, and sets lost.

Only four NCAA Champions (in this admittedly limited sample) have dropped fewer than 10 sets in their Championship season (Penn State with a 114-2 record in 2008, Penn State with a 114-8 record in 2009, Long Beach State at 108-8 in 1998, and USC at 105-8 in 2003). The most sets lost by a Final Four team through 2014? Wisconsin’s 2013 Finalist, with 53.

So take a look — one feature we like is that you can click on a team logo and go straight to the team’s website.

If you find an error . . .

We'll feel sheepish, but tell us if we made mistakes
We’ll feel sheepish, but tell us if you find an error in our statistics

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.

 

 

 

 

 

Wins & Losses (Matches and Sets): Final Four Teams from 1998 to 2014 (Click team logos for more info)

YearNCAA
Finish
TeamConf.WLSets
Won
Sets
Lost
2014ChampPenn
State
B1G36311215
2014FinalsBYUWCC3059526
2014SemiStanfordPac 1233210127
2014SemiTexasBig 122738421
2013ChampPenn
State
B1G34210621
2013FinalsWisconsinB1G28109453
2013SemiWashingtonPac 123039128
2013SemiTexasBig 122738330
2012ChampTexasBig 123149823
2012FinalsOregonPac 123059629
2012SemiMichiganB1G27129452
2012SemiPenn
State
B1G33310421
2011ChampUCLAPac 123069731
2011FinalsIllinoisB1G32510043
2011SemiFlorida
State
ACC2879039
2011SemiUSCPac 122959125
2010ChampPenn
State
B1G32510320
2010FinalsCaliforniaPac 123049523
2010SemiTexasBig 122868934
2010SemiUSCPac 122959136
2009ChampPenn
State
B1G38011408
2009FinalsTexasBig 122929113
2009SemiHawaiiWAC32310017
2009SemiMinnesotaB1G2898841
2008ChampPenn
State
B1G38011402
2008FinalsStanfordPac 103149523
2008SemiNebraskaBig 123139721
2008SemiTexasBig 122949424
2007ChampPenn
State
B1G34210418
2007FinalsStanfordPac 1032310124
2007SemiCaliforniaPac 102688736
2007SemiUSCPac 102959135
2006ChampNebraskaBig 1233110114
2006FinalsStanfordPac 103049219
2006SemiUCLAPac 1033410424
2006SemiWashingtonPac 102959226
2005ChampWashingtonPac 103219810
2005FinalsNebraskaBig 1233210115
2005SemiTennesseeSEC19127049
2005SemiSanta
Clara
WCC2758830
2004ChampStanfordPac 103069835
2004FinalsMinnesotaB1G33510534
2004SemiWashingtonPac 102838923
2004SemiUSCPac 102367632
2003ChampUSCPac 1035010508
2003FinalsFloridaSEC36210908
2003SemiHawaiiWAC36210916
2003SemiMinnesotaB1G26118549
2002ChampUSCPac 103119512
2002FinalsStanfordPac 1032510227
2002SemiHawaiiWAC34210212
2002SemiFloridaSEC34310517
2001ChampStanfordPac 1033210121
2001FinalsLong
Beach
State
Big West331NANA
2001SemiNebraskaBig 123129414
2001SemiArizonaPac 102557925
2000ChampNebraskaBig 1234010213
2000FinalsWisconsinB1G334NANA
2000SemiHawaiiWAC3129516
2000SemiUSCPac 102938720
1999ChampPenn
State
B1G36111015
1999FinalsStanfordPac 103139518
1999SemiPacificBig West323NANA
1999SemiLong
Beach
State
Big West3149523
1998ChampLong
Beach
State
Big West36010808
1998FinalsPenn
State
B1G34110406
1998SemiNebraskaBig 123229916
1998SemiFloridaSEC35310724

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