Deeper look at NCAA Tourney selection criteria after conference semifinals

Stanford and BYU can breath a sigh of relief.

With No. 1 USC defeating No. 4 UC Irvine to advance to the MPSF Tournament championship match on Thursday it means the lone at-large spot to the NCAA Tournament remains open.

Both BYU and Stanford losing in the first round of the conference tournament appeared to open the at-large bid to teams like UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara. However, a closer look at the NCAA selection committee criteria says otherwise.

Below is the entry from the 2011 NCAA men’s volleyball championship handbook on how the three-person volleyball selection committee determines the at-large team and seeding for the NCAA Tournament.

Automatic qualifiers will be determined by a method selected by each conference
office. The remaining at-large team will be selected using the following criteria (in no
priority order):
– Won-lost results;
– Head-to-head competition;
– Results versus non-conference opponents;
– Home and away results;
– Results against common opponents;
– Results against teams already qualified and other teams under consideration; and
– Eligibility and availability of student-athletes for NCAA championships.

The selection committee does not consider match results against NAIA teams, such as Cal Baptist, Lindenwood and UC Santa Cruz. Only matches against NCAA teams factor in the into the criteria

Some selection committees in the past have placed a greater emphasis on a certain categories. For instance, last year’s committee said they placed a greater emphasis on head-to-head results and a team’s record against other teams being considered. However, there is no requirement that categories be weighed differently.

USC (23-2, 20-2 MPSF) will be the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament using the selection committee’s criteria — regardless if each category is equally judged or certain categories have a greater emphasis.

Everything else involving the NCAA Tournament is still undecided.

The volleyball selection committee has historically avoided pairing two MPSF schools against each other in the NCAA semifinals — it has happened once in the last 10 years. In addition, a MPSF school has received every at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament in the last 16 years.

Both of these trends have the possibility of being snapped in this year’s tournament if the volleyball committee gives equally weight to each category.

Here is how BYU, Stanford, UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara, which advanced to the MPSF championship match on Thursday, match up against each other using the selection committee criteria and giving equal weight to each category. Also included is how the two at-large front-runners, BYU and Stanford, match up against Ohio State and Penn State for NCAA Tournament seeding possibilities.

[Editor’s note: BYU and Stanford are the two front-runners for the at-large bid. Teams projected to qualify or be under consideration are USC, Penn State, Ohio State, BYU, Stanford, UC Irvine and Hawai’i]

At-large bid (BYU vs. Stanford)

Won-lost results: BYU 19-8; Stanford 17-8. Edge: BYU
Head-to-head competition: Stanford defeated BYU twice. Edge: Stanford
Non-conference record: BYU 3-1; Stanford 2-0. Edge: Stanford
Home record: BYU 12-1; Stanford 8-4. Edge: BYU
Road record: BYU 6-7; Stanford 7-4. Edge: Stanford
Record vs. common opponents: BYU 19-8; Stanford 17-8. Edge: BYU
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: BYU 4-4; Stanford 5-3. Edge: Stanford
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: STANFORD

At-large bid (UC Irvine vs. BYU)

Won-lost results: UC Irvine 18-11; BYU 19-8. Edge: BYU
Head-to-head competition: BYU defeated UC Irvine twice. Edge: BYU
Non-conference record: UC Irvine 3-2; BYU 3-1. Edge: BYU
Home record: UC Irvine 10-3; BYU 12-1. Edge: BYU
Road record: UC Irvine 7-7; BYU 6-7. Edge: UC Irvine
Record vs. common opponents: UC Irvine 16-10; BYU 18-7. Edge: BYU
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UC Irvine 5-8; BYU 4-4. Edge: BYU
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: BYU

At-large bid (UC Irvine vs. Stanford)

Won-lost results: UC Irvine 18-11; Stanford 17-8. Edge: Stanford
Head-to-head competition: Stanford defeated UC Irvine twice. Edge: Stanford
Non-conference record: UC Irvine 3-2; Stanford 2-0. Edge: Stanford
Home record: UC Irvine 10-3; Stanford 8-4. Edge: UC Irvine
Road record: UC Irvine 7-7; Stanford 7-4. Edge: Stanford
Record vs. common opponent: UC Irvine 16-10; Stanford 15-8. Edge: Stanford
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UC Irvine 5-8; Stanford 5-3. Edge: Stanford
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: STANFORD

At-large bid (UC Santa Barbara vs. Stanford)

Won-lost results: UCSB 16-13; Stanford 17-8. Edge: Stanford
Head-to-head competition: Tied at 1-1. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: UCSB 4-2; Stanford 2-0. Edge: Stanford
Home record: UCSB 8-6; Stanford 8-4. Edge: Stanford
Road record: UCSB 7-6; Stanford 7-4. Edge: Stanford
Record vs. common opponents: UCSB 16-12; Stanford 15-8 Edge: Stanford
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UCSB 4-9; Stanford 5-3. Edge: Stanford
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: STANFORD

At-large bid (UC Santa Barbara vs. UC Irvine)

Won-lost results: UCSB 16-13; UC Irvine 18-11. Edge: UC Irvine
Head-to-head competition: UC Irvine defeated UCSB twice. Edge: UC Irvine
Non-conference record: UCSB 4-2; UC Irvine 3-2. Edge: UCSB
Home record: UCSB 8-6; UC Irvine 10-3. Edge: UC Irvine
Road record: UCSB 7-6; UC Irvine 7-7.Edge: UC Santa Barbara
Record vs. common opponents: UCSB 15-13; UC Irvine 16-10 Edge: UC Irvine
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UCSB 4-9; UC Irvine 5-8 Edge: UC Irvine
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: UC IRVINE

At-large bid (UC Santa Barbara vs. BYU)

Won-lost results: UCSB 16-13; BYU 19-8. Edge: BYU
Head-to-head competition: Tied at 2-2. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: UCSB 4-2; BYU 3-1. Edge: BYU
Home record: UCSB 8-6; BYU 12-1. Edge: BYU
Road record: UCSB 7-6; BYU 6-7. Edge: UCSB
Record vs. common opponents: UCSB 16-12; BYU 19-7. Edge: BYU
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UCSB 4-9; BYU 4-4. Edge: BYU
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: BYU

Penn State vs. Ohio State

Won-lost results: Penn State 23-6; Ohio State 23-6 Edge: Push
Head-to-head competition: Split two matches in regular season. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Ohio State 15-5; Penn State 12-6. Advantage: Ohio State
Home record: Ohio State 13-0; Penn State 14-1. Edge: Ohio State
Road record: Penn State 9-5; Ohio State 10-6. Edge: Penn State
Record vs. common opponents: Ohio State 18-2, Penn State 15-2. Edge: Ohio State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Ohio State 2-2; Penn State 2-2. Edge: Push
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: OHIO STATE

Ohio State vs. BYU

Won-lost record: Ohio State 23-6; BYU 19-8. Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this year. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Ohio State 15-5; BYU 3-1. Edge: Push
Home record: Ohio State 13-0; BYU 12-1. Edge: Ohio State
Road record: Ohio State 10-6; BYU 6-7. Edge: Ohio State
Results vs. common opponents: Ohio State 6-5; BYU 8-2. Edge: BYU
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Ohio State 2-2; BYU 4-4. Edge: Push
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: OHIO STATE

Penn State vs. BYU

Won-lost record: Penn State 23-6; BYU 19-8. Edge: Penn State
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this year. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Penn State 12-6; BYU 3-1. Edge: BYU
Home record: Penn State 14-1; BYU 12-1. Edge: Penn State
Road record: Penn State: 9-5; BYU 6-7. Edge: Penn State
Results vs. common opponents: Penn State 5-5; BYU 12-2. Edge: BYU
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Penn State 2-2; BYU 4-4. Edge: Push
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: PENN STATE

Penn State vs. Stanford

Won-lost results: Penn State 23-6; Stanford 17-8. Edge: Penn State
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this year. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Penn State 12-6; Stanford 2-0. Edge: Stanford
Home record: Penn State 14-1; Stanford 8-4. Edge: Penn State
Road record: Penn State 9-5; Stanford 7-4. Edge: Penn State
Record vs. common opponents: Penn State 5-5; Stanford 10-5. Edge: Stanford
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Penn State 2-2; Stanford 5-3. Edge: Stanford
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: PUSH

Ohio State vs. Stanford

Won-lost results: Ohio State 23-6; Stanford 17-8. Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this year. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Ohio State 15-5; Stanford 2-0. Edge: Stanford
Home record: Ohio State 13-0; Stanford 8-4. Edge: Ohio State
Road record: Ohio State 16-6; Stanford 7-4. Edge: Ohio State
Results vs. common opponents: Ohio State 6-5; Stanford 9-1. Edge: Stanford
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Ohio State 2-2; Stanford 5-3. Edge: Stanford
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: PUSH