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Check out everything you need to know about the college men’s volleyball bracketology so far this season and for the upcoming matches this weekend.
Conference RPI
Non-conference results are what ultimately determine a conference’s RPI ranking. The ranking is based on a conference’s combined winning percentage against NCAA opponents. Every conference match results in one winner and one loser, which in terms of conference winning percentage means it’s always guaranteed to be at .500. As a result, non-conference results are the greatest influence on a conference’s RPI rankings. Teams also benefit in their RPI ranking if they play in a league with a strong conference RPI because during the conference season they have an increased opportunity to play against teams with winning records and high RPI rankings. Below are the non-conference records for each NCAA Division I-II conference against other NCAA members this season.
| Conference | Record | Winning Pct. |
| 1. Big West | 41-25 | .621 |
| 2. MPSF | 38-26 | .594 |
| 3. MIVA | 31-21 | .596 |
| 4. EIVA | 32-23 | .581 |
| 5. ConfCarolinas | 21-30 | .420 |
| 6. SIAC | 2-25 | .074 |
Strength of schedule
Strength of schedule is one of the criteria categories the selection committee uses to determine the NCAA Tournament field. In addition, a team’s strength of schedule is part of the formula used to determine the RPI rankings. Below are the teams projected to have the best strength of schedule at the end of the season. The projections are based on match results so far this season.
Projected strength of schedule (as of March 3)
1. BYU
2. CSUN
3. UC Santa Barbara
4. UC Irvine
5. Long Beach State
6. Loyola
7. Princeton
8. Grand Canyon
9. Ohio State
10. Lewis
11. USC
12. UC San Diego
13. Concordia-Irvine
14. UCLA
15. Hawai’i
Record against teams under consideration
The category of record against other teams under consideration for the NCAA Tournament is a piece of criteria that historically has helped shape the NCAA Tournament field. Below are the records for some notable teams against teams under consideration, according to Off the Block’s latest bracketology projections.
Record vs. under consideration teams
Ball State (2-0)
USC (5-2)
Long Beach State (2-2)
UC Santa Barbara (3-3)
Pepperdine (1-3)
UCLA (2-1)
Penn State (1-3)
Mount Olive (0-0)
Hawai’i (0-2)
Big bracketology matches this weekend
Below are the matches to watch this weekend that could have big implications on the bracketology at the end of the season.
| Match | Start time | Bracketology significance |
| Pepperdine at McKendree | 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday | Pepperdine is on the edge of the at-large bubble and needs to win both of these matches to remain on the bubble. |
| BYU at USC | 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday | USC has the fourth-best record in the nation and can put itself in strong position for an at-large bid entering April with two more wins this weekend. |
| Lincoln Memorial at Ohio State | 7 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday | Hawai’i beat Lincoln Memorial three times this season. Lincoln Memorial now needs to win both matches against Ohio State in order for the Rainbow Warriors’ to bolster their strength of schedule. |