2014 USA NCAA Division 1 Championship for Women

    AVCA Top 25 Poll for October 13, 2014


    4 Team are left undefeated in the Top 25
    Stanford (16-0), Texas (13-0), Washington (17-0) and Florida State (17-0)
    Washington and Stanford will play each other 1, very late in the regular season November 26th.


    Top 25 by conference
    Pac-12 with 7 teams
    Big Ten with 7 teams
    Atlantic Coast (ACC) with 3 teams
    Southeastern (SEC) with 3 teams
    Big XII (Twelve) with 2 teams
    West Coast (WCC) with 2 teams
    Mountain West with 1 team

    So:

    * USA hasn't money for League, even professional League doesn't exist but They are World Champions

    * Turkey has the richest League but even Top 4 doesn't exist for Them

    What is the moral?

    Quote from Mapuan

    What is the current standing of UCLA? I'm super impressed by Karsta Lowe. Is she graduating this year? After the batch of Hooker and Hodge, she's the only player that I can see who will do well in the pro league.


    UCLA is ranked at #19, with an overall record of 12-5 and a Pac-12 Conference record of 3-3. They are 3 matches behind Washington and Stanford who are perfect at 6-0.


    Lowe has played very well, but she carries the majority of the offense. She's getting about 33% of the sets and scoring 40% of the points on spikes.


    You have not seen Samantha Bricio of USC (sadly not a USA player, from Mexico). She just seems to make it look easy and with her hard serves as well, she'll play overseas.


    Does the English Premier League have some of the best teams in the world? Does the English national team play badly?


    In the US volleyball has been long considered a women's sport. Even with the men's team doing well in the 1980s, it was still considered a women's sport. All US Olympic sports do not receive federal funding, so it is important for the federations to be self sufficient. As an example US Soccer Federation was not looking at pro leagues until after the 1994 World Cup. The federation has gotten stronger as the Men's and Women's teams have continued to play well. The soccer federation was basically trying to get people to play soccer, not be a professional sports league. Now it has a national league.


    USA volleyball is in a similar situation, it is trying to get people to play the game, manage the domestic infrastructure for tournaments and registrations, etc. They have looked at pro leagues in the past, but it has not amounted to much.


    Also with the feeling that the sport is a "women's sport", the organization was not as attractive in the past to sponsors because "women don't follow sports." This is beginning to change with all of the merchandise for women from American sports leagues and colleges.


    Plus with the majority of the focus for this sport outside of people playing it being on the Olympics, the results have not been there in most people opinions. Gold means more than silver, unless you were not expected to get it. Except in the USA people want winners. Hence, Kerri and
    Misty being popular due to their 3 straight golds.


    Additionally you need people and/or companies willing to invest. In Turkey the clubs have been spending freely (are they making money, who knows?), but businesses have bought into the women's and men's game. With the women's team making London in 2012, who carried the flag for the Turkish team, a female volleyball player from a Muslim country. The sponsors helped fuel the sport.


    In the USA we are not as sponsorship focused as teams need to have cities in their names. It is how people connect with their teams, but now people are getting used to advertising in soccer here and shortly it will be in other professional sports here.


    I watched Major League Volleyball have a short life in the 1980s with only one major sponsor, but the investors behind the teams could not handle much in the way of financial losses. You may have to lose money upfront, but how many years will it take to return the investment is often the thought now of professional teams in this country.

    AVCA Poll for October 20, 2014


    We are at about the halfway point for the NCAA season with the playoffs starting in December.


    No change in the top 8 positions. Kentucky, Oregon and BYU had losses which dropped them lower in the polls.


    The NCAA RPI (Rating Percentage Index, which is based on your winning percentage (25%), opponents winning percentage (50%), and their opponents winning percentage (25%)) is to be found here.


    Based on the average of each conference (total rank value divided number of teams). Here are the Top 10 Conferences by RPI Strength
    1. Pac-12, 29.08
    2. Big 12, 48.67
    3. Big Ten, 52.43
    4. Atlantic Coast (ACC), 79.27
    5. Southeastern (SEC), 81.08
    6. West Coast Conference (WCC), 93.00
    7. American (AAC), 115.73
    8. Big West, 125.67
    9. Big East, 135.20
    10. Mountain West, 143.82


    There are 334 schools, so the midpoint would be 167.

    Individual Stats Leaders for all of NCAA (from NCAA.com website)
    Kills per Set
    Karsta Lowe, UCLA, 6.04 kills per set
    Vendula Strakova, Hampton, 5.59
    Lowe's numbers have come down since entering Pac-12 play, but still leading everyone.
    Strakova is Czech and played in qualifiers with the Czech national team in 2010. Hampton is in a smaller conference.


    Blocks per Set (block solos + block assists)
    Whitney Young, BYU, 1.88
    Amy Boswell, BYU, 1.65


    Aces per Set
    Micha Hancock, Penn State, 1.06
    Samantha Bricio, Southern California, 0.84
    Both have had a slight move lower in the numbers after conference play, but very consistent.


    Digs per Set
    Payton Harris, Mississippi State, 6.43
    Markie Schaedig, Arkansas State, 6.36
    Taylor Morey of Wisconsin is the highest Top 5 Conference player with 5.52 and ranked 7th.


    Assists per Set (Sets for Kill)
    Julie Consani, UCLA, 11.92
    Madi Bugg, Stanford, 11.81
    Consani has moved up to #1 after the conference play has started. Not surprised to see Stanford's setter at #2, with their 20-0 record.


    Points per Set (Kills + Blocks + Aces)
    Karsta Lowe, UCLA, 6.67 per set
    Vendula Strakova, Hampton, 6.32
    Madison Kingdon, Arizona, 5.84
    Carnae Dillard, North Texas, 5.76
    No other players are above 5.50 points
    Lowe and Kingdon have dropped their scoring per set since my last post, but Strakova has improved slightly.


    Hitting Percentage
    Merete Lutz, Stanford, 0.482
    Rhamat Alhassan, Florida, 0.472
    Inky Ajanuku, Stanford, 0.468
    Any reason why Stanford is ranked #1, you can't stop the middle against them. Both Lutz and Ajanuku have dropped a little due to the stronger opponents inside the Pac-12 conference.


    TEAM STATS
    Kills per Set
    UCLA, 15.45
    Duke, 14.97


    Blocks per Set (block solos + block assists)
    BYU, 3.88
    UNLV, 3.19
    North Carolina, 3.16
    BYU will be a tough team in the tournament at the net. Washington is at 3.08 and Texas 3.05.


    Aces per Set
    Marist, 2.00
    Penn St., 1.97


    Digs per Set
    Texas-Arlington, 18.59
    Arkansas State, 18.08
    Highest Top 5 Conference team Duke #20 at 16.94


    Assists per Set (Sets for Kill)
    UCLA, 14.52
    Duke, 14.17
    Pittsburgh, 14.08


    Hitting Percentage
    Penn State, 0.346
    Stanford, 0.326
    Washington, 0.322

    This is a very unscientific breakout for the NCAA tournament bids and which teams could still make the tournament, this is greater than 64 which is how many teams make the tournament.
    32 teams receive an automatic bid when they win their conference, and then 32 teams will receive an at-large bid. TEAMS IN BOLD WILL RECEIVE BID in my mind.


    Likely One Bid Conference
    America East (New Hampshire, Binghampton, Stony Brook or Albany)
    American Athletic Conference (AAC) (Central Florida, Temple, Memphis or SMU)
    Atlantic 10 (A-10) (Dayton, Duquense, George Washington, St. Louis, Rhode Island or VCU)
    Atlantic Sun (A-Sun) (Lipscomb or FGCU)
    Big Sky (Idaho State, North Dakota, Idaho, Northern Colorado or Northern Arizona)
    Big South (Liberty, Radford, Coastal Carolina or Winthrop)
    Colonial Athletic (Hofstra, Charleston, Towson or UNC-Wilmington)
    Horizon (Oakland, Milwaukee, Valparaiso, Youngstown State or UI-Chicago)
    Ivy League (Harvard, Yale or Princeton)
    Metro Atlantic (MAAC) (Marist, Fairfield, Siena, Rider or Manhattan)
    Mid-American (MAC) (Ohio, Northern Illinois, Miami (OH), or Ball State)
    Mid-Eastern Athletic (MEAC) (Howard, Hampton, Florida A&M, or Bethune-Cookman)
    Missouri Valley (Illinois State, Northern Iowa, Missouri Stae or Wichita State)
    Mountain West (Colorado State, UNLV, Wyoming, New Mexico)
    Northeast (LIU-Brooklyn, Robert Morris or Saint Francis (PA))
    Ohio Valley (OVC) (Murray State, Eastern Kentucky or Belmont)
    Patriot (American or Lehigh)
    Southern (Furman or Sanford)
    Southland (Stephen F. Austin, Central Arkansas, Sam Houston State or Texas A&M-Corpus Christi)
    Southwestern Athletic (SWAC) (Alabama State or Texas Southern)
    Western Athletic (WAC) (Missouri-Kansas City, New Mexico State or Cal State-Bakersfield)


    Likely More Than One Bid Conference
    Pac-12 (Washington, Stanford, Oregon, Arizona, UCLA, Colorado, Arizona State, Southern California or Oregon State)
    Big Ten (Wisconsin, Penn State, Illinois, Purdue, Nebraska, Ohio State or Michigan State)
    Big XII (Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma or Kansas)
    Southeast Conference (Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana State, Alabama or Texas A&M)
    West Coast Conference (BYU, Pacific, Santa Clara, San Diego or Loyola Marymount)
    Atlantic Coast Conference (Florida State, North Carolina, Duke, Miami (FL), Virginia, Pittsburgh or Louisville)
    Big East (Creighton, Marquette, Seton Hall, Butler or Xavier)
    Big West (Long Beach State, Hawaii or UC-Davis)
    Conference USA (UT-San Antonio, Western Kentucky or Rice)

    This is a very unscientific breakout for the NCAA tournament bids and which teams could still make the tournament, this is greater than 64 which is how many teams make the tournament.
    32 teams receive an automatic bid when they win their conference, and then 32 teams will receive an at-large bid. TEAMS IN BOLD WILL RECEIVE BID in my mind. Italic means that they have qualified for Conference Tournament


    Likely One Bid Conference
    * America East (New Hampshire, Binghampton, Stony Brook or Albany)
    American Athletic Conference (AAC) (Central Florida, Temple, Memphis, Tulsa or SMU)
    * Atlantic 10 (A-10) (Dayton, Duquense, George Washington, St. Louis, Rhode Island or VCU)
    * Atlantic Sun (A-Sun) (Lipscomb, FGCU, Stetson, Northern Kentucky, Jacksonville, North Florida or Kennesaw State)
    * Big Sky (Idaho State, North Dakota, Idaho, Northern Colorado, Northern Arizona, Montana or Portland State)
    * Big South (Liberty, Radford, Coastal Carolina or Winthrop)
    * Colonial Athletic (Hofstra, Charleston, Towson or UNC-Wilmington)
    * Horizon (Oakland, Milwaukee, Valparaiso, Youngstown State or UI-Chicago)
    Ivy League (Harvard, Yale or Princeton)
    * Metro Atlantic (MAAC) (Marist, Fairfield, Siena, Rider or Manhattan)
    * Mid-American (MAC) (Ohio, Northern Illinois, Miami (OH), or Ball State)
    * Mid-Eastern Athletic (MEAC) (Howard, Hampton, Florida A&M, or Bethune-Cookman)
    * Missouri Valley (Illinois State, Northern Iowa, Missouri Stae or Wichita State)
    Mountain West (Colorado State, UNLV, Wyoming, New Mexico)
    * Northeast (LIU-Brooklyn, Robert Morris or Saint Francis (PA))
    * Ohio Valley (OVC) (Murray State, Eastern Kentucky or Belmont)
    * Patriot (American or Lehigh)
    * Southern (Furman or Sanford)
    * Southland (Stephen F. Austin, Central Arkansas, Sam Houston State or Texas A&M-Corpus Christi)
    * Southwestern Athletic (SWAC) (Alabama State or Texas Southern)
    * Western Athletic (WAC) (Missouri-Kansas City, New Mexico State or Cal State-Bakersfield)
    * Have conference tournament


    Likely More Than One Bid Conference
    Pac-12 (Washington, Stanford, Oregon, Arizona, UCLA, Colorado, Arizona State, Southern California or Oregon State)
    Big Ten (Wisconsin, Penn State, Illinois, Purdue, Nebraska, Ohio State or Michigan State)
    Big XII (Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma or Kansas)
    Southeast Conference (Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana State, Alabama or Texas A&M)
    West Coast Conference (BYU, Pacific, Santa Clara, San Diego or Loyola Marymount)
    Atlantic Coast Conference (Florida State, North Carolina, Duke, Miami (FL), Virginia, Pittsburgh or Louisville)
    * Big East (Creighton, Marquette, Seton Hall, Butler or Xavier)
    Big West (Long Beach State, Hawaii or UC-Davis)
    * Conference USA (UT-San Antonio, Western Kentucky or Rice)
    * Have conference tournament

    This is a very unscientific breakout for the NCAA tournament bids and which teams could still make the tournament, this is greater than 64 which is how many teams make the tournament.
    32 teams receive an automatic bid when they win their conference, and then 32 teams will receive an at-large bid. TEAMS IN BOLD WILL RECEIVE BID in my mind. Italic means that they have qualified for Conference Tournament Green means that they have the best record in the conference.
    It looks like there are 3 spots that could go to a likely one bid conference or a more than one bid conference out of the 32 at-large slots.


    Likely One Bid Conference
    * America East (New Hampshire, Binghampton, Stony Brook or Albany)
    American Athletic Conference (AAC) (Central Florida, Temple, Memphis, Tulsa or SMU)
    * Atlantic 10 (A-10) (Dayton, Duquense, George Washington, St. Louis, Rhode Island or VCU)
    * Atlantic Sun (A-Sun) (Lipscomb, FGCU, Stetson, Northern Kentucky, Jacksonville, North Florida or Kennesaw State)
    * Big Sky (Idaho State, North Dakota, Idaho, Northern Colorado, Northern Arizona, Montana, Portland State, Eastern Washington or Southern Utah)
    * Big South (Radford, Liberty, Coastal Carolina, Winthrop, Presbyterian, High Point, Gardner-Webb, Campbell or UNC-Asheville)
    * Colonial Athletic (Charleston, Hofstra, Towson, UNC-Wilmington, James Madison or Delaware)
    * Horizon (Oakland, Milwaukee, Valparaiso, Youngstown State, UI-Chicago or Cleveland State)
    Ivy League (Harvard, Yale or Princeton)
    * Metro Atlantic (MAAC) (Marist, Siena, Manhattan, Fairfield, Rider, Niagara, Canisius, Iona, Saint Peter's or Quinnipiac)
    * Mid-American (MAC) (Ohio, Northern Illinois, Miami (OH), Ball State, Eastern Michican, Kent State, Western Michigan or Central Michigan)
    * Mid-Eastern Athletic (MEAC) (Howard, Hampton, Florida A&M, Bethune-Cookman, Coppin State, Morgan State, NC A&T, or NC Central)
    * Missouri Valley (Illinois State, Northern Iowa, Missouri State, Wichita State, Indiana State and Southern Illinois)
    * Northeast (LIU-Brooklyn, Robert Morris, Saint Francis (PA), Central Connecticut, Bryant, Sacred Heart or Fairleigh Dickinson)
    * Ohio Valley (OVC) (Murray State, Belmont, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Eastern Illinois, Austin Peay, Tennessee Tech, SE Missouri or SIUE)
    * Patriot (American, Lehigh, Navy, Colgate, Army or Holy Cross)
    * Southern (Furman, Sanford, NC-Greensboro, East Tennessee State, Western Carolina, Chattanooga, Mercer, Wofford or The Citadel)
    * Southland (Stephen F. Austin, Central Arkansas, Sam Houston State, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Houston Baptist, Northwestern State, SE Louisiana, McNeese State, Nicholls or Lamar)
    * Southwestern Athletic (SWAC) (Texas Southern, Alabama State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Jackson State, Alabama A&M, Southern or Prairie View)
    * Western Athletic (WAC) (Missouri-Kansas City, New Mexico State, Utah Valley, Cal State-Bakersfield, Seattle University or Grand Canyon)
    * Have conference tournament


    Likely More Than One Bid Conference
    Pac-12 (Washington, Stanford, Oregon, Arizona, UCLA, Colorado, Arizona State, Southern California or Oregon State) 8 bids
    Big Ten (Wisconsin, Penn State, Illinois, Purdue, Nebraska, or Ohio State) 6
    Big XII (Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas State, or Kansas) 3 or 4
    Southeast Conference (Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana State, Alabama or Texas A&M) 4 or 5
    West Coast Conference (BYU, Santa Clara, Pacific, San Diego or Loyola Marymount) 2 or 3
    Atlantic Coast Conference (Florida State, North Carolina, Duke, Miami (FL), Virginia, Pittsburgh or Louisville) 3, 4 or 5
    * Big East (Creighton, Marquette, Seton Hall, Butler or Xavier) 2 or 3
    Big West (Long Beach State, Hawaii or UC-Davis) 1 or 2
    * Conference USA (UT-San Antonio, Western Kentucky, Rice, Southern Mississippi, North Texas, Marshall, Florida Atlantic, Middle Tennesse, NC-Charlotte or UT-El Paso) 1 or 2
    Mountain West (Colorado State, UNLV, Wyoming, New Mexico) 1 or 2
    * Have conference tournament

    I'm upset Hawaii is not doing so well this year...I guess with a relatively young team and fewer effective seniors they are having a tougher time this season. Who do you think will win between the matchup of Washington vs. Stanford?

    The Conference Tournaments are a Playoff to get to the "1st Round of the Big Dance" for the Smaller Conferences.


    The Big Dance will start the first weekend of December with the Round of 64, then quickly followed by Round 2 (32 teams remaining).


    The At-Large teams do not want any upsets in the Conference tournaments because weaker teams take spots from the stronger teams in those smaller conferences. For Example, Dayton right now has the best record in the Atlantic 10. If they do not win the tournament, they may still get in the tournament as an at-large, which could take a position from a stronger conference at-large team.


    Hawaii is second in their conference, but basically must win out to have a chance. Good wins over Ohio and New Mexico, but losses to UCLA, Oregon and Arizona State. A win against one of those schools would have helped them.