vinnielopes - Off the Block

November 11, 2011November 11, 2011

Four MPSF teams to compete at UCLA’s preseason SAC Tourney

Four West Coast teams will conclude their preseason this weekend at UCLA’s annual two-day fall tournament.

UCLA, USC, UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Northridge will play at the SAC Tournament on Friday and Saturday in Los Angeles.

Each team will play one match Friday afternoon and two matches Saturday. In addition, all matches will be played at the SAC Gym, which is located on the UCLA campus just north of the John Wooden Center.
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November 8, 2011November 8, 2011

Hawai’i releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule

A difficult six-week conference stretch and playing host to its annual Outrigger Invitational highlights the 2012 Hawai’i regular season schedule that the team released Monday.

Hawai’i finished last season in fifth place in the MPSF and lost in the first round of the conference tournament. The Warriors return four starters for the upcoming season and also have incoming freshman outside attacker JP Marks, who played for the Germany Junior and Youth National teams.

Check out the five things to take away from Hawai’i’s schedule for the 2012 season.
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November 7, 2011November 7, 2011

Pepperdine releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule

A rematch between two Hall of Fame coaches and non-conference matches against Lewis and Penn State highlights the 2012 Pepperdine regular season schedule that the team released Saturday.

Pepperdine finished last season in ninth place in the MPSF and missed the conference tournament for the first time in its program history. The Waves have five returning starters, including outside attacker Maurice Torres who ended 2011 in the nation’s top 10 for kills per game average.

Check out the five things to take away from Pepperdine’s schedule for the 2012 season.
Continue reading “Pepperdine releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule”

November 4, 2011November 4, 2011

D-II men’s volleyball teams ineligible for new NCAA scholarship benefits

Five Division II men’s volleyball teams, despite playing in a conference with Division I schools, would be prohibited from providing an additional $2,000 to its full-ride scholarship athletes.

The NCAA informed Off the Block via email Thursday that its newly adopted scholarship policy only applies to Division I schools, and Division II schools regardless of conference affiliations would be ineligible from giving their players the extra benefit.

The NCAA Division I Board of Directors voted last week to allow schools to provide full-scholarship athletes up to an extra $2,000 for cost-of-living expenses. Schools would not be required to add the benefit, but the NCAA requested that conferences consider common applications.
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November 3, 2011November 3, 2011

Princeton releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule

A three-match West Coast road trip and a nine-match homestand highlights the 2012 Princeton regular season schedule that the team released Thursday.

Princeton finished last season in last place in the EIVA Tait Division and did not qualify for the conference tournament. The Tigers have seven starters returning for the upcoming season, including outside attacker Jeff Stapleton.

Check out the five things to take away from Princeton’s schedule for the 2012 season.
Continue reading “Princeton releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule”

November 3, 2011November 3, 2011

Three Hawai’i matches to be nationally televised in upcoming season

Three Hawai’i home matches at the beginning of the 2012 season will be nationally televised.

The Hawai’i athletics department announced Tuesday that its men’s volleyball team’s matches against UC San Diego and UCLA in January will air live on Fox College Sports.

Hawai’i will open its season with a two-match series against UC San Diego on Jan. 5-6 with both matches being televised. In addition, Hawai’i will play UCLA to conclude its home non-conference tournament, the Outrigger Invitational, on Jan. 14.
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November 2, 2011August 13, 2014

Stanford releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule

A rematch against Long Beach State and non-conference matches against the top MIVA and EIVA teams highlights the 2012 Stanford regular season schedule that the team released Tuesday.

The Cardinal ended the 2011 regular season No. 3 in the national rankings but was upset in the MPSF Tournament quarterfinals and missed the Final Four. Stanford has six returning starters, including All-American outside attacker Brad Lawson.

Check out the five things to take away from Stanford’s schedule for the 2012 season.
Continue reading “Stanford releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule”

November 1, 2011November 1, 2011

Coker College to add men’s volleyball starting in 2013

The Conference Carolinas will add another men’s volleyball team for the 2013 season.

Coker College announced Monday that it would add men’s volleyball as an intercollegiate sport that will compete in the Conference Carolinas beginning in the 2012-13 school year.

“As an emerging sport in Conference Carolinas and across the country, men’s volleyball is an excellent fit for Coker,” Coker College President Robert Wyatt said in statement.
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November 1, 2011November 1, 2011

MIVA waiting for more info before talking extra scholarship benefits

The MIVA will wait for further clarification from the NCAA before discussing any common practices for its teams to provide an additional $2,000 to full-ride scholarship athletes.

MIVA commissioner Chris Schneider said Monday that there is so much uncertainty on the practical applications of the NCAA’s new scholarship policy that the league will not formally discuss it until there is more information.
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October 31, 2011November 3, 2011

Report: Several teams with biggest budgets struggled in 2011 season

More money does not necessarily mean more success for college men’s volleyball teams.

Of the 10 schools with the highest operating budgets for the 2011 season, four failed to finish in the top 10 of the national rankings and only two reached the Final Four, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s latest Equity in Athletics report.
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