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It took the final hours of a four-month regular season to determine all the seeds, but the NCAA men’s volleyball postseason is finally here.
The MIVA and MPSF will begin their conference tournaments with the quarterfinals this weekend. Here is the initial look and the historical information to know about every conference tournament quarterfinals match before you fill out your bracket.
MPSF TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS
No. 1 seed BYU (22-4, 21-3 MPSF) vs. No. 8 seed Hawai’i (11-16, 10-14 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. Saturday in Provo, Utah
Season series: BYU leads 2-0 (won in three games and four games in January)
Last MPSF Tournament title: BYU (2004); Hawai’i (never)
Historical facts to know: BYU is 13-3 all-time in home postseason matches in its program history. In addition, a No. 1 seed has never lost to the No. 8 seed in the recent history of the MPSF Tournament. Hawai’i has advanced beyond the MPSF Tournament quarterfinals once in the last 10 years.
No. 2 seed UC Irvine (22-6, 18-6 MPSF) vs. No. 7 seed UC Santa Barbara (15-15, 11-13 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. Saturday in Irvine, Calif.
Season series: UC Irvine leads 2-0 ( won in three games in January and four games in February)
Last MPSF Tournament title: UC Irvine (2012); UC Santa Barbara (2011)
Historical facts to know: UC Irvine has reached at least the MPSF Tournament semifinals in all but one year since 2005. The last time UC Santa Barbara was the No. 7 seed in the conference tournament it pulled off three upsets to win the 2011 MPSF Tournament and reach the Final Four.
No. 3 seed Long Beach State (22-7, 18-6 MPSF) vs. No. 6 seed Stanford (15-12, 12-12 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. Saturday in Long Beach, Calif.
Season series: Long Beach State leads 2-0 (won in three games in February and five games in March)
Last MPSF Tournament title: Long Beach State (never); Stanford (2010)
Historical facts to know: Long Beach State since losing in the 2006 MPSF Tournament championship match has won one postseason match. However, that victory was an upset against Stanford in the 2011 conference tournament quarterfinals. Stanford with the exception of two years has gone on to win NCAA championship when it advances beyond the MPSF Tournament quarterfinals.
No. 4 seed UCLA (20-10, 16-8 MPSF) vs. No. 5 seed Pepperdine (14-11, 13-11 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. Saturday in Los Angeles
Season series: UCLA leads 2-0 (win in three games in February and April)
Last MPSF Tournament title: UCLA (2006); Pepperdine (2005)
Historical facts to know: UCLA has not won a postseason match since winning the 2006 NCAA championship. Pepperdine in its last 10 postseason appearances has only twice failed to advance beyond the MPSF Tournament opening round, but one of those times was last season.
MIVA TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS
No. 1 seed Lewis (19-9, 10-4 MIVA)
Bye until the MIVA Tournament semifinals
Last MIVA Tournament title: Lewis (2012)
Historical stats to know: Lewis is the first team besides Ohio State to earn the MIVA Tournament No. 1 seed in seven years. The Flyers, which will have the home court advantage throughout the tournament, have not lost a home postseason match since 1999.
No. 2 seed Loyola (19-9, 10-4 MIVA) vs. No. 7 seed Quincy (10-20, 1-13 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. Friday in Chicago
Season series: Loyola leads 2-0 (won in three games in February and four games in March)
Last MIVA Tournament title: Loyola (never); Quincy (never)
Historical stats to know: Loyola has advanced to the MIVA Tournament semifinals every year since 2000. Quincy has one postseason victory in program history — upsetting Ball State in the 2011 MIVA Tournament quarterfinals.
No. 3 seed Ball State (20-5, 9-5 MIVA) vs. No. 6 seed IPFW (13-12, 5-9 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. Saturday in Muncie, Ind.
Last MIVA Tournament title: Ball State (2002); IPFW (2007)
Season series: Tied at 1-1 (IPFW won in four games in February; Ball State won in four games in March)
Historical stats to know: This will be the fourth postseason meeting between the two in-state rivals since 1995. Ball State in its program history has only lost once at home in the MIVA Tournament quarterfinals. IPFW after reaching the 2007 NCAA championship match has not won another postseason match.
No. 4 seed Ohio State (19-7, 9-5 MIVA) vs. No. 5 seed Grand Canyon (16-14, 7-7 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. Saturday in Columbus, Ohio
Last MIVA Tournament title: Ohio State (2011); Grand Canyon (never)
Historical stats to know: This is the first time since 2006 that Ohio State did not receive a bye to the MIVA Tournament semifinals and will have to play a quarterfinals match. Grand Canyon has never won a postseason match in its program history.