Off the Block to coordinate combined coaches, media poll to decide 2020 national champion

Photo by Fabiana Huffaker

There will still be college men’s volleyball national champion, even with the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament.

Off the Block announced Thursday that it will present the 2020 Division I-II men’s volleyball national champion through the use of a combined national coaches and media poll.

“This is not an ideal situation by any stretch of the imagination, and it’s something we’d prefer not to do. However, we feel it is important for the volleyball community that we utilize Off the Block’s resources and coordination skills to determine a national champion,” Off the Block editor Vinnie Lopes said in a statement. “This has been an amazing 2020 season, and the best team deserves to be called the national champion — even if it is in a shortened season.”

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A national poll to determine a champion has previously been used in college sports. College football used a poll system to crown its national champion until the 1990s.

For this national championship poll, Off the Block will invite every NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball head coach to be on the voting committee. Members of the Off the Block National Media Poll will also be on the voting committee.

Off the Block will also examine the need to add any additional media members to promote inclusiveness and geographical balance in the championship poll.

Ballots to the voting committee will be sent at the conclusion of the final NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball match this season. All submitted ballots will be made available for the public to view once the poll has been released.

Off the Block also will work with the NCAA and the NCAA men’s volleyball committee to ensure this national champions is recognized in the NCAA record books.

Off the Block launched in 2011 and is the nation’s leader in college men’s volleyball coverage. It also coordinates voting for annual college men’s volleyball national awards along with coordinating the weekly National Media Poll and Division II National Coaches Poll.

Comments (5)

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Pam Martinez's avatar

Pam Martinez · 258 weeks ago

Thank you for coordinating this. It is so sad that teams can't play out their season. I'm sure this has been crazy for you too. It is difficult to keep up with all the changes!!
Volunteer's avatar

Volunteer · 258 weeks ago

Volleyball championships are meant to be played & decided on the court. That’s it. They are not be decided in a conference room by voting coaches or the voting media.

The coaches have a ton of logistical issues to worry about right now with the safety & health of their players, the academic success of players in this moment and ongoing, and the safety of all the institutions/athletic departments of which these players attend.

Lets all take a big step back here and see the big picture, safety and sanity. Not to artificially crown a winner for a volleyball championship.

When the dust settles, there will be volley and we might even appreciate it more after this mess. For the players, we should fight for them to have one more year of eligibility if they choose - so THEY can decide who the real champion is...on the volley court, not at a ballot box.

Love your dedication and growth of the game Mr. Lopes. That’s is all. -Ben
2 replies · active 257 weeks ago
Well said VOLUNTEER. My thoughts exactly.
Rob Espero's avatar

Rob Espero · 258 weeks ago

Agree with you Volunteer. I feel as if we’d be disrespecting the efforts of the teams that continuously worked on improving throughout the season. Sure there are favorites to win but the unpredictable aspect of any NCAA Championship is what makes it SO exciting. In a year where we are seeing teams rise to national recognition like UCSD, Grand Canyon, UCSB, NJIT, McKendree, St. Francis and others, while other traditional powerhouses who have begun to “figure things out”, to the bubble-NCAA Semi teams who have great potential like Lewis, UCLA, Penn St. and others. Given this day in current events we should just vacate this year’s NC out of respect for the others who have put their all in to compete this season (some for the final time in their careers). I dig the work you do, OTB— and have been a supporter. ALL teams have worked hard and sacrificed for the game they love. An artificial National Champion crowned by a board just doesn’t seem right. It needs to be settled on the court.
Lots of teams improved throughout the year but none more than the team that was clearly the most dominant all year and it would be a disservice not to award BYU the national championship. With #1 and #2 playing twice last weekend at Hawaii, the first match an absolute blowout by BYU and the first two sets of the second match also blowouts before Hawaii rode the crowd to eek out a nailbiter. Hawaii has to admit, that even in victory, they were nowhere near the better team. BYU has also already beaten almost every other team in the top 10. So give it to them. No team in thier right mind would disagree.

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