vinnielopes - Off the Block

April 28, 2011September 23, 2011

AVCA releases 2011 men’s volleyball All-American teams

The American Volleyball Coaches Association announced its men’s volleyball Division I-II All-American teams on Thursday.

USC led all teams with three All-American selections — two First-Team All-Americans and a Second-Team All-American.

The Trojans became the first team in 16 years to be ranked No. 1 from the preseason through the end of the regular season. All six of its starters also received all-conference accolades last week.

Along with USC, Penn State and BYU had three All-American selections. The Nittany Lions and Cougars both had a First-Team All-American and two Second-Team All-Americans.

UC Santa Barbara, Stanford and UC Irvine all had two players named All-Americans.

A voting committee comprised of nine men’s volleyball coaches selected the All-American teams. The committee included Penn State coach Mark Pavlik, George Mason coach Fred Chao, Loyola coach Shane Davis, USC coach Bill Ferguson, Lewis coach Dan Friend, Stanford coach John Kotsy, UC Santa Barbara coach UC Santa Barbara, St. Francis coach Mike Rumbaugh and Ball State coach Joel Walton.

Check out the players who received All-American honors this year.
Continue reading “AVCA releases 2011 men’s volleyball All-American teams”

April 28, 2011September 19, 2011

Conference tournament men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

From coast to coast the men’s volleyball conference tournaments are in full swing tonight.

Penn State on the East Coast looks to move one win closer to clinching its 13th consecutive EIVA title and a spot in the Final Four. In addition, the two Cinderellas of the West Coast, Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara, play with a chance to advance to the MPSF Tournament championship match.

The winners of these semifinals matches tonight will play in their conference tournament championship match Saturday.

Check out the conference tournament matches to follow tonight.
Continue reading “Conference tournament men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight”

April 27, 2011September 19, 2011

Conference tournament men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

The men’s volleyball spotlight returns to the Midwest tonight as the MIVA Tournament resumes.

The MIVA regular season champions Ohio State will play Lewis in the first semifinal match as the Buckeyes attempt to reach their fifth straight conference championship match. In addition, Quincy will look to pull off another upset as it plays the No. 2 seed Loyola in the second semifinals match.

The winner of these two semifinal matches will play each other in the MIVA championship match Saturday at the home court of the highest remaining seed.

Check out the conference tournament matches to follow tonight.
Continue reading “Conference tournament men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight”

April 27, 2011September 23, 2011

Winners announced for EIVA, MIVA, MPSF Reporters of the Year

The Daily Trojan reporter Sean McCormick, The Daily Collegian reporter Joe McIntyre and The Ball State Daily News reporter Andrew Mishler were selected as the Off the Block Men’s Volleyball Conference Reporters of the Year.

The Off the Block Men’s Volleyball Conference Reporters of the Year recognizes the best college newspaper reporters in the EIVA, MIVA and MPSF.
Continue reading “Winners announced for EIVA, MIVA, MPSF Reporters of the Year”

April 26, 2011September 23, 2011

Winner, finalists announced for Best Men’s Volleyball Online Coverage of the Year

The Daily Collegian is the inaugural winner of the Off the Block Best Men’s Volleyball Online Coverage of the Year.

Off the Block conducted a season-long analysis of the online coverage for college men’s volleyball on professional and college newspaper websites from around the nation.
Continue reading “Winner, finalists announced for Best Men’s Volleyball Online Coverage of the Year”

April 25, 2011August 13, 2014

Volleyball committee chairman says race tight for at-large bid to NCAA Tournament

Expect discussions to continue for the rest of this week about who should get the lone at-large bid to the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament.

NCAA volleyball committee chairman Bob Krimmel said Monday that this has the potential to be one of the closest races he can recall to determine the at-large bid and seeding for the NCAA Tournament.
Continue reading “Volleyball committee chairman says race tight for at-large bid to NCAA Tournament”

April 25, 2011September 23, 2011

BYU middle attacker Tavana wins Blocker of the Year award

A nationwide voting committee selected BYU middle attacker Futi Tavana as the inaugural winner of the Off the Block Blocker of the Year.

The Off the Block Blocker of the Year award is given to the nation’s best front-row defensive men’s volleyball player during the regular season.

Tavana leads the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and is second in the nation with a 1.50 blocks per game average. The junior also has a nation-best 160 total blocks this season. Tavana was a 2010 All-American after switching positions from outside attacker to middle attacker before the start of that season.
Continue reading “BYU middle attacker Tavana wins Blocker of the Year award”

April 24, 2011August 13, 2014

Men’s volleyball bracketology

With conference tournaments underway and the men’s volleyball Final Four weeks away, Off the Block will continue its weekly projected NCAA Tournament bracket.

The men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament is comprised of four teams. Automatic bids are awarded to the winners of the EIVA, MIVA and MPSF conference tournaments, and the NCAA Men’s Volleyball National Committee chooses one team for an at-large bid.
Continue reading “Men’s volleyball bracketology”

April 24, 2011August 13, 2014

Deeper look at NCAA Tourney selection criteria after conference quarterfinals

Stanford and BYU losing in the MPSF Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday may appear to open the door for another team to get the at-large bid, but a deeper 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.
Continue reading “Deeper look at NCAA Tourney selection criteria after conference quarterfinals”

April 23, 2011September 23, 2011

Conference tournament men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight

The madness of April is officially upon us.

Nine of the 10 conference tournament quarterfinal matches in the EIVA, MIVA and MPSF will be played tonight with the winners advancing to the semifinals while the losers’ seasons will likely be finished. These postseason matches to also feature eight of the top 10 ranked teams, including No. 2 BYU and No. 3 Stanford who are battling for the lone at-large bid to the Final Four.

Check out the conference tournament matches to follow tonight.
Continue reading “Conference tournament men’s volleyball matches to follow tonight”