Tag: 2011 men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament

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Final Four live chat: No. 1 seed USC vs. No. 4 seed UC Santa Barbara

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Off the Block will be providing live coverage to the NCAA Tournament semifinals match between the No. 1 seed USC and the No. 4 seed UC Santa Barbara.

USC (23-3, 20-2 MPSF) received the lone at-large bid to the championship after winning the MPSF regular season title and being ranked No. 1 throughout the entire season. UC Santa Barbara (17-14, 11-11 MPSF) defeated three top-five ranked teams in the conference tournament, including defeating USC in the championship match Saturday, to receive the MPSF’s automatic bid to the Final Four.

The match starts at 7 p.m. (EST). Check out the live chat below for instant updates and to interact with other fans or pose questions for Off the Block to answer.
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Men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament semifinal matches to follow tonight

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After more than four months and 400 matches, determining the two teams in the national championship will come down to one night and two matches.

The No. 1 seed USC will try to reach its second national championship match in three years as it plays the No. 4 seed UC Santa Barbara in the opening NCAA semifinals match at 7 p.m. Thursday in University Park, Pa. In addition, the No. 2 seed Penn State, which is hosting the NCAA Tournament, and the No. 3 seed Ohio State will renew one of the oldest men’s volleyball rivals in the other NCAA semifinals match at 9 p.m. Thursday.

Check the NCAA Tournament matches to follow tonight.
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Q&A with USC at the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament

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USC coach Bill Ferguson and senior co-captains Murphy Troy and Riley McKibbin held a news conference Wednesday to discuss their upcoming NCAA Tournament match.

The No. 1 seed USC will play the No. 4 seed UC Santa Barbara in the NCAA Tournament semifinals at 7 p.m. Thursday in University Park, Pa.

The Trojans became the first team in 16 years to be ranked No. 1 from the preseason to the end of the regular season. This national semifinals match will also be a rematch of the MPSF championship match, which UC Santa Barbara won in five games Saturday.

View an abridged version of the news conference below. Continue reading “Q&A with USC at the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament”

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Q&A with UC Santa Barbara at the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament

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UC Santa Barbara coach Rick McLaughlin along with outside attacker Jeff Menzel, libero Andy McGuire and middle attacker Scott Slaughter conducted a news conference Wednesday heading into their NCAA Tournament match.

The No. 4 seed UC Santa Barbara will play the No. 1 seed USC in the NCAA Tournament semifinals at 7 p.m. Thursday in University Park, Pa.

The Gauchos (17-14, 11-11 MPSF) defeated three top-five ranked teams in the conference tournament to become first No. 7 seed to ever in the MPSF Tournament and advance to the Final Four.

View an abridged version of the news conference below. Continue reading “Q&A with UC Santa Barbara at the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament”

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Q&A with Penn State at the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament

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Penn State coach Mark Pavlik along with outside attacker Joe Sunder, setter Edgardo Goas and libero Dennis Del Valle conducted a news conference Wednesday heading into their NCAA Tournament match.

The No. 2 seed Penn State will play the No. 3 seed Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament semifinals at 9 p.m. Thursday. The Final Four is this year is also being held on the Nittany Lions’ home year.

View an abridged version of the news conference below. Continue reading “Q&A with Penn State at the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament”

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Q&A with Ohio State at the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament

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Ohio State men’s volleyball coach Pete Hanson, along with setter Steven Kehoe and middle attacker Kevin Heine held a news conference Wednesday to discuss its upcoming NCAA Tournament match.

The No. 3 seed Ohio State will play the No. 2 seed Penn State in the NCAA Tournament semifinals at 9 p.m. Thursday in University Park, Pa.

The Buckeyes (24-6, 11-1 MIVA) reached their four consecutive NCAA Tournament after winning the MIVA championship, but have failed advance beyond the semifinals during that stretch.

View an abridged version of the news conference below. Continue reading “Q&A with Ohio State at the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament”

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Top 5 storylines to follow during the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament

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Almost 24 hours away from the men’s volleyball Final Four and the anticipation is continuing to grow.

The four-team NCAA Tournament will be played at Penn State with the No. 1 seed USC playing the No. 4 seed UC Santa Barbara in the opening semifinals at 7 p.m. Thursday. In addition, the host school and No. 2 seed Penn State will play the No. 3 seed Ohio State in the second semifinals match at 9 p.m. Thursday.

The winners of these two matches will play in the national championship on Saturday.

Check out the top five storylines to follow during the NCAA Tournament.
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UC Santa Barbara coach McLaughlin says fine with No. 4 seed, wants to play USC

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One person not complaining about the seeding for the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament is UC Santa Barbara coach Rick McLaughlin.

McLaughlin said Monday on The Net Live podcast that despite some fans wanting UC Santa Barbara to be seeded higher he prefers the No. 4 seed because he wants to play to the No. 1 seed USC in the semifinals.
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NCAA volleyball chairman discusses tournament seeding

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UC Santa Barbara being the No. 4 seed was a simple matter of the numbers for NCAA men’s volleyball committee chairman Bob Krimmel.

The NCAA released its four-team men’s volleyball championship tournament bracket Sunday pitting UC Santa Barbara against the No. 1 seed USC in the semifinals at 7 p.m. Thursday. It’s one of the few times in the tournament’s 41-year history that two West Coast schools will play each other in the opening round.
Continue reading “NCAA volleyball chairman discusses tournament seeding”