2012 USA NCAA Division I Volleyball

The USA College Volleyball season started this past weekend with numerous invitational tournaments.

Defending champion and ranked #1 in the preseason, UCLA traveled to Nebraska who was ranked #4 on Saturday night.

Nebraska won the first two sets 25-20 and 25-23. UCLA then came back to win the next two 25-23, 25-19 to take the match to a 5th set.

UCLA jumped out to a 4-0 lead and led 8-5 at the switching of court. UCLA got the lead back to 4 at 10-6, but Nebraska tied the score at 11 after a 3 point run. UCLA then scored two in a row to take a 13-11 lead. But Nebraska, scored 4 in a row to win the match in front of a sellout crowd of 4,186, the 166th consecutive sellout for Nebraska in the NU Coliseum in its final season.

Highlights are available here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS1SafQWuRE

The NCAA Tournament is as follows:

64 Teams
31 Conference Champions and 33 At-Large Teams
Single Elimination
4 Regions, which have 4 location each for the first two rounds (16 sites)
4 Regional tournaments (third and fourth rounds)
Final Four (4 Regional Winners)

The bracket will be released tomorrow at 1PM Pacific.

The Field Has Been Announced:

16 Seeded Teams will host the First and Second Round matches
1. Penn State University Nittany Lions (Won Big 10 Conference)
2. Stanford University Cardinal (Won Pac-12 Conference
3. University of Texas Longhorns (Won Big 12 Conference)
4. University of Nebraska at Lincoln Cornhuskers (at-large)
5. University of Oregon Ducks (at-large)
6. University of Southern California Trojans (USC) (at-large)
7. University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins (at-large)
8. University of Minnesota Golden Gophers (at-large)
9. Florida State University Seminoles (Won Atlantic Coast Conference)
10. University of Louisville Cardinals (Won Big East Conference)
11. University of Kansas Jayhawks (at-large)
12. Brigham Young University Cougars (Won West Coast Conference)
13. University of Washington Huskies (at-large)
14. University of Florida Gators (Won Southeast Conference)
15. Iowa State University Cyclones (at-large)
16. University of Kentucky Wildcats (at-large)

First and Second Rounds (November 29-December 1)
Each Region has 4 Host sites, the winners of the 1st round matches play in the 2nd round

All below are First Round Matches

West Lafayette Region
Hosted by Penn State
Penn State (29-2) vs. Binghamton (13-17)
Yale (18-5) vs. Bowling Green (21-10)
Hosted by Kentucky
Ohio State (22-10) vs. Notre Dame (20-9)
East Tennessee State (23-12) vs. Kentucky (20-10)
Hosted by Florida State
Florida State (27-3) vs. Hofstra (21-13)
Purdue (21-10) vs. Colorado State (21-7)
Hosted by Minnesota
Creighton (28-3) vs. Marquette (27-6)
Liberty (25-7) vs. Minnesota (24-7)

Berkeley Region
Hosted by Stanford
Stanford (27-3) vs. Jackson State (24-11)
Loyola Marymount (18-12) vs. Western Kentucky (32-3)
Hosted by Iowa State
North Carolina (25-5) vs. California (15-15)
Indiana-Purdue at Fort Wayne (25-6) vs. Iowa State (20-7)
Hosted by Louisville
Louisville (29-3) vs. Belmont (18-16)
Michigan (23-11) vs. Tennessee (22-7)
Hosted by UCLA
UCLA (22-7) vs. Long Island (25-7)
Michigan State (23-9) vs. San Diego (21-6)

Austin Region
Hosted by Texas
Texas (23-4) vs. Colgate (17-13)
North Carolina State (22-9) vs. Texas A&M (24-5)
Hosted by Florida
Miami of Florida (25-5) vs. College of Charleston (26-7)
Florida (25-4) vs. Tulsa (26-9)
Hosted by Kansas
Kansas (25-6) vs. Cleveland State (23-6)
Arkansas (22-9) vs. Wichita State (22-9)
Hosted by Southern California
Southern California (27-5) vs. Fairfield (22-8)
San Diego State (23-7) vs. St. Mary's of California (17-10)

Omaha Region
Hosted by Oregon
Oregon (25-4) vs. Northern Colorado (24-10)
Pepperdine (20-11) vs. Dayton (26-4)
Hosted by BYU
BYU (26-3) vs. New Mexico State (22-10)
Arizona State (20-13) vs. Oklahoma (21-10)
Hosted by Washington
Washington (23-6) vs. Central Arkansas (30-4)
Santa Clara (20-11) vs. Hawaii (25-2)
Hosted by Nebraska at Lincoln
Nebraska at Lincoln (23-6) vs. Maryland at East Shore (28-5)
Northern Iowa (24-9) vs. Kansas State (21-8)

First Round (November 29-November 30)
Each Region has 4 Host sites, the winners of the 1st round matches play in the 2nd round

West Lafayette Region
Hosted by Penn State (November 30th)
Penn State (30-2) def. Binghamton (13-18) 3-0 (25-11, 25-3, 25-9)
Bowling Green (22-10) def. Yale (18-6) 3-2 (16-25, 25-15, 25-21, 13-25, 15-11)
Hosted by Kentucky (November 30th)
Ohio State (23-10) def. Notre Dame (20-10) 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-17)
Kentucky (21-10) def. East Tennessee State (23-13) 3-0 (25-9, 25-17, 25-15)
Hosted by Florida State (November 30th)
Florida State (28-3) def. Hofstra (21-14) (25-21, 25-10, 25-20)
Purdue (22-10) def. Colorado State (21-8) 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-19)
Hosted by Minnesota (November 30th)
Creighton (29-3) def. Marquette (27-7) 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 28-26)
Minnesota (25-7) def. Liberty (25-8) 3-0 (25-21, 25-10, 34-32)

Berkeley Region
Hosted by Stanford (November 30th)
Stanford (28-3) def. Jackson State (24-12) 3-0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-10)
Western Kentucky (33-3) def. Loyola Marymount (18-13) 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-17)
Hosted by Iowa State (November 29th)
North Carolina (26-5) def. California (15-16) 3-1 (26-24, 25-23, 18-25, 25-16)
Iowa State (21-7) def. Indiana-Purdue at Fort Wayne (25-7) 3-2 (25-11, 23-25, 22-25, 25-13, 15-7)
Hosted by Louisville (November 29th)
Louisville (30-3) def. Belmont (18-17) 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-21)
Michigan (24-11) def. Tennessee (22-8) 3-2 (25-22, 25-17, 22-25, 29-25, 15-10)
Hosted by UCLA (November 30th)
UCLA (23-7) def. Long Island (25-8) 3-0 (25-13, 25-15, 25-12)
Michigan State (24-9) def. San Diego (21-7) 3-2 (25-19, 23-25, 25-20, 18-25, 15-11)

Austin Region
Hosted by Texas (November 29th)
Texas (24-4) def. Colgate (17-14) 3-0 (25-4, 25-11, 25-15)
Texas A&M (25-5) def. North Carolina State (22-10) 3-1 (21-25, 25-12, 25-23, 25-20)
Hosted by Florida (November 30th)
College of Charleston (27-7) def. Miami of Florida (25-6) 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 19-25, 25-22, 15-10)
Florida (26-4) def. Tulsa (26-10) 3-0 (25-9, 25-21, 25-20)
Hosted by Kansas (November 30th)
Kansas (26-6) def. Cleveland State (23-7) 3-1 (17-25, 25-10, 25-16, 25-18)
Wichita State (23-9) def. Arkansas (22-10) 3-2 (16-25, 25-27, 25-17, 25-23, 15-10)
Hosted by Southern California (November 29th)
Southern California (28-5) def. Fairfield (22-9) 3-0 (25-8, 25-11, 25-10)
St. Mary's of California (18-10) def. San Diego State (23-8) 3-2 (17-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 15-12)

Omaha Region
Hosted by Oregon (November 30th)
Oregon (26-4) def. Northern Colorado (24-11) 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-18)
Dayton (27-4) def. Pepperdine (20-12) 3-2 (15-25, 20-25, 25-21, 25-21, 15-9)
Hosted by BYU (November 30th)
BYU (27-3) def. New Mexico State (22-11) 3-0 (25-8, 25-17, 25-14)
Oklahoma (22-10) def. Arizona State (20-14) 3-2 (20-25, 25-19, 25-18, 19-25, 15-13)
Hosted by Washington (November 30th)
Washington (24-6) def. Central Arkansas (30-5) 3-0 (25-13, 25-17, 25-18)
Hawaii (26-2) def. Santa Clara (20-12) 3-0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-19)
Hosted by Nebraska at Lincoln (November 29th)
Nebraska at Lincoln (24-6) def. Maryland at East Shore (28-6) 3-0 (25-14, 25-10, 25-18)
Northern Iowa (25-9) def. Kansas State (21-9) 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-21)

Second Round (November 30-December 1)
Each Region has 4 Host sites, the winners of the 2nd round matches play in the 3rd round

West Lafayette Region
Hosted by Penn State (December 1st)
Penn State (31-2) def. Bowling Green (22-11) 3-0 (25-15, 25-12, 25-15)
Hosted by Kentucky (December 1st)
Kentucky (22-10) def. Ohio State (23-11) 3-1 (18-25, 26-24, 25-15, 25-18)
Hosted by Florida State (December 1st)
Purdue (23-10) def. Florida State (28-4) 3-2 (25-20, 21-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-11)
Hosted by Minnesota (December 1st)
Minnesota (26-7) def. Creighton (29-4) 3-1 (20-25, 25-17, 25-23, 25-17)

Berkeley Region
Hosted by Stanford (December 1st)
Stanford (29-3) def. Western Kentucky (33-4) 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-15)
Hosted by Iowa State (November 30th)
Iowa State (22-7) def. North Carolina (26-6) 3-2 (25-22, 18-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-13)
Hosted by Louisville (November 30th)
Michigan (25-11) def. Louisville (30-4) 3-1 (25-15, 22-25, 25-22, 27-25)
Hosted by UCLA (December 1st)
Michigan State (25-9) def. UCLA (23-8) 3-1 (25-17, 29-27, 18-25, 25-22)

Austin Region
Hosted by Texas (November 30th)
Texas (25-4) def. Texas A&M (25-6) 3-1 (25-16, 19-25, 25-19, 25-18)
Hosted by Florida (December 1st)
Florida (27-4) def. College of Charleston (27-8) 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-14)
Hosted by Kansas (December 1st)
Wichita State (24-9) def. Kansas (26-7) 3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-21)
Hosted by Southern California (November 30th)
Southern California (29-5) def. St. Mary's of California (18-11) 3-0 (28-26, 25-16, 25-19)

Omaha Region
Hosted by Oregon (December 1st)
Oregon (27-4) def. Dayton (27-5) 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-21)
Hosted by BYU (December 1st)
BYU (28-3) def. Oklahoma (22-11) 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-18)
Hosted by Washington (December 1st)
Washington (25-6) def. Hawaii (26-3) 3-2 (20-25, 25-20, 19-25, 27-25, 15-11)
Hosted by Nebraska at Lincoln (November 30th)
Nebraska at Lincoln (25-6) def. Northern Iowa (25-10) 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-21)

Quote from mvfaitheep

No surprise with the top 2 seeds. I Hope Stanford gets into the Final 4. Wondering what happened with University of Hawaii and Long Beach State?

Hawaii is in the tournament, but the NCAA felt that their schedule was not strong enough even with their conference win to be a host in the first and second round, they were last year. They moved from the Mountain West Conference to the Big West Conference, which was a big drop in the strength of teams in the Conference. They are in the same conference as Long Beach State now.

Hawaii was 18-0 in the conference, but Long Beach was a distant 13-5 at 2nd in the conference (18-11, overall), so there was only 1 bid for their conference.

Quote from TheUSAFAN

Brahmin can do a much more thorough and precise breakdown of the NCAA brackets than I ever could.

Thanks for the compliment, but it is just like the NCAA Basketball tournament, except instead of 8 teams in one venue for the 1st Round and 2nd Round, it is only 4 and 8 more locations. Plus the seeded teams host, so even if they lost in the 1st round, the 2nd round matches are played in the same venue. Saves on travel costs.

Quote from joanamss

Thanks a lot for all the schedile and explanations...I must confess I never quite understood how everything worked in NCAA, but ITs much clear now!

I just have one question, that it is maybe a bit of topic, but something I always wondered....how are the regions splitted by? I mean what is the standard? Cause I also love to follow American Football, and I never understood how the pools in each conference were made...
could some of you guys try to explain me, if it is ok?

Originally the Conferences were based on geographic location or the Level of the University. The Ivy League (the most prestigious universities), Big Ten (The 10 biggest universities in the Midwest), Atlantic Coast Conference (state universities along the Atlantic Ocean), Pacific 8 (8 Universities along the Pacific Ocean).

However, the NCAA over the years as American College Football television contracts have increased in value, some universities has switched conferences to increase their revenues for their athletic departments. In the past Conferences were 8 or 10 in size. Now the most powerful conferences have 12 or 14. There are still may smaller school conferences with regional ties, but they do not have the national following as the bigger conferences and their schools.

One joke about this right now is that the Big East, which was originally based in the Northeastern portion of the US, could stretch from San Diego across the US. One of the divisions would have a team in Philadelphia in the Western Division. This makes no geographical logic.