BYU, Hawai’i, Ohio State opposites named Bryan Ivie Award finalists

A nationwide voting committee selected Ohio State opposite Miles Johnson, BYU opposite Ben Patch and Hawai’i opposite Stijn van Tilburg as finalists for the annual Bryan Ivie Award.

The Bryan Ivie Award, which is named after the former USC All-American and U.S. Olympian, is presented to the nation’s best opposite in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball during the regular season. Continue reading “BYU, Hawai’i, Ohio State opposites named Bryan Ivie Award finalists”

Bracketology: Team comparisons using selection committee criteria

The data remains tight between teams with the arrival of the postseason and Selection Sunday about a week away.

Off the Block has crunched the numbers using the same criteria as the selection committee to show how the top teams in the nation fare against each other in the race for the two at-large bids and NCAA Tournament seeding. Continue reading “Bracketology: Team comparisons using selection committee criteria”

Long Beach outside DeFalco named 2017 MPSF Player of Year

Long Beach State outside attacker TJ DeFalco achieved a feat that had not been accomplished since a former U.S. Olympian did it 20 years ago.

DeFaclo was selected as the 2017 MPSF Player of the Year on Thursday to become the first player in back-to-back years to win the conference’s player of the year and newcomer of the year awards since BYU middle attacker Ryan Millar in 1996-97. Continue reading “Long Beach outside DeFalco named 2017 MPSF Player of Year”

Video: Hawai’i ends road woes to earn postseason home match

So much for No. 4/4 Hawai’i historically not being able to win big matches on the road.

Setter Jennings Franciskovic guided Hawai’i to more than .300 attack percentage as it defeated No. 6/6 UCLA 26-28, 25-23, 25-21, 25-18 on Friday at the John Wooden Center to clinch a home match for the MPSF Tournament quarterfinals. Continue reading “Video: Hawai’i ends road woes to earn postseason home match”