American Volleyball Coaches Association Blog

by Deb Stadick, Program Director, Badger Region Volleyball Association

This is Deb's first season as the chief women's volleyball blogger for the AVCA, and all season long she will do more than just give us the top matches to watch this week...she will predict the outcome. After playing at Iowa State University from 2008-2011, Stadick is now the Program Director for the Badger Region Volleyball Association.

Notable News: Cal State Northridge earned the program’s first top-25 ranking since the 1992 season after they toppled Big West powerhouse Hawai'i in five sets.

Not-So-Notable News: Missouri’s latest ranking matches the program’s best-ever at seventh in the AVCA Coaches’ Poll. I guess that’s pretty notable.

Top-Five Recap: I went three for five this week, improving my overall record to 25-15.

My Pick:San Diego def. Saint Mary’s in five.

Reality:San Diego def. Saint Mary’s in three.

Recap:Apparently San Diego’s players had vengeance on their minds.

My Pick:UCF def. Temple in five.

Reality:UCF def. Temple in three.

Recap: Temple lost their momentum and couldn’t regroup. First set was close (27-25), second set was close-ish (25-20) and the third set was not (25-16).

My Pick:USC def. Washington in five.
Reality: Washington def. USC in four.
Recap: Washington played with composure in front of a hostile USC home crowd.
IMD:Washington is my team this year. I should’ve had more faith. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

My Pick:Minnesota def. Wisconsin in four.

Reality:Wisconsin def. Minnesota in four.

Recap:Minnesota struggled to side out, which let the Badgers run off points and gather momentum.

IMD:Wisconsin is a roller-coaster team right now. Face them while they’re hot? Good luck.

My Pick:Missouri def. Texas A&M in four.

Reality: Missouri def. Texas A&M in three.

Recap:Another 2-0 weekend earned the undefeated Tigers a #7 ranking. They just don’t lose.

Remember. Each Sunday, you will have the opportunity to submit a match for me to preview. Tweet your selection to @debstadick and @AVCAVolleyball using the hash tag #DebsPicks. One submission will be previewed in the next blog.

Arizona @ No. 23 Oregon

Saturday, November 2

Oregon Athletics

This match tells two very different stories. Arizona went into this season largely unnoticed. Oregon, a 2012 NCAA finalist, went into this season with all eyes on them. Arizona has turned heads lately with impressive wins over UCLA/USC and their 15-7 overall, 5-5 conference record. The Ducks haven’t exactly fallen from grace (they are 12-8 overall, 5-5 in conference), but they haven’t picked up where they left off either.

Last season, Oregon’s 5-1 offensive system (featuring the fast-tempo setting of AVCA First-Team All-American Lauren Plum (left)) carried them to the NCAA finals. It hasn’t worked quite so well this season, and the Ducks have struggled to find offensive consistency. Depending on the health/efficiency of Plum, setter Shellsy Ashensteps in to run a 5-1 offense or shares duties with Plum in a 6-2 offense.

Outside Liz Brenneralong with middle hitter Ariana William lead the team in kills, while outside Martenne Bettendorfis coming along nicely in her first year as a go-to player. Opposite Canace Finely adds another scoring option for the Ducks.

Arizona plays smart, low-error volleyball. They rely on standout outside Madison Kindgonto generate the majority of offense, but freshman setter Penina Snukaruns quick plays and combos to neutralize opposing blockers.

Middle hittersOlivia Magill and Halli Amaro are both dominant at the net (1.14 and 1.09 blocks per set, respectively).

Arizona may be an up-and-down team, but Oregon is consistently shaky. Especially given the Ducks’ woes at the setter position of late, I like Arizona’s chances in this contest if they are aggressive from the service line and maintain their low-error offense.

No. 2 Penn State @ No. 14 Michigan State

Saturday, November 2

Volleyball Magazine

Penn State heads into the contest with an 18-2 overall, 9-1 conference record. Their single conference loss came on their home court to Michigan State. The Spartans (17-5 overall, 6-4 in conference) started Big Ten play with a six-match winning streak but spiraled downhill rapidly. They’ve lost their four most recent matches to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. Ouch.

Penn State runs a 5-1 offensive system with senior setter Micha Hancock (left), who has led her team to a .319 hitting efficiency this season. Keeping Hancock in-system is libero Dominique Gonzalez.

Hancock has a slew of offensive options at her disposal. Outsides Deja McClendon, Nia Grant and Megan Courtney along with opposite Ariel Scott and middle hitter Katie Slay are all-everything hitters capable of taking over matches. Must be nice.

Michigan State has been running a 6-2 offensive system with setters Kristen Kelsay and Halle Peterson. Outside Lauren Wicinski along with middle hitter Alexis Matthews continue to be go-to hitters for the Spartans. Matthews is also a dominant force at the net and has tabbed 1.53 blocks per set this season.

Penn State wins a lot of matches, but they aren’t invincible. That being said, it’s hard to beat a team twice in a season, especially in the midst of a slump. I just don’t think this is the match where Michigan State snaps out of their funk.

My Pick: Penn State in four.

No. 19 Kentucky @ No. 7 Missouri

Sunday, November 3

UK Athletics

Yes, we’re still talking about Missouri (we’d be talking about Colorado State, too, but they don’t have any standout opponents this weekend). The Tigers are still undefeated (25-0) and on-fire, but I think this Kentucky squad will give them a run for their money. Kentucky is having a nice season of their own with a 15-5 overall, 7-2 conference record.

Molly Kreklow sets the Tigers’ 5-1 offensive system, and her team is clipping an impressive .363 hitting efficiency on the season. Standout pin hitters Lisa Henning and Carly Kan pace the Missouri’s offense, but middle hitters Emily Thater and Whitney Little along with pin hitter Emily Wilson are all viable scoring options as well.

A strong defensive team, libero Sarah Meisterkeeps the Tigers in-system and able to set their middle hitters.

Kentucky is also strong in the backcourt, relying on the six-rotation outsides Whitney Billings (above) andAnni Thomasson along with liberoJackie Napper for consistent defense.

Setter Morgan Bergren runs the Wildcats’ 5-1 offense. Bergren loves to set outside to Billings, but her other hitters (pin hitters Thomasson andLauren O’Conneralong with middleAlexandra Morgan) are effective offensive options as well.

Both sides have the ability to blast beautiful, hard hits. Controlling other factors of the match will be essential to success. Whichever team can excel managing the tips, rolls, free balls and sideouts efficiently will be in good shape to win. Missouri has to lose sometime, and Kentucky might just have the firepower and defensive prowess to take them down.

My Pick: Kentucky in five.

No. 12 North Carolina @ No. 20 Florida State

Friday, November 1

This ACC showdown features the 20-1 overall, 9-1 in conference North Carolina Tar Heels and the 15-6, 8-2 in conference Florida State Seminoles.

North Carolina runs a 6-2 offensive system. Jordyn Schnabl andAbigail Curry have led the team to a .261 hitting efficiency. Go-to outside Jovana Bjelica continues to pace North Carolina’s offense, but lately middle hitter Victoria McPherson has posted big offensive numbers to go along with her 1.18 blocks per set. Fellow middle hitter Paige Neuenfeldt has also been playing well lately, tabbing 1.10 blocks per set and giving North Carolina another viable offensive option.

UNC Athletics

Florida State runs a 6-2 offensive system with setters Hailey Luke and Sarah Wickstrom. Florida State loves to set the pins. In addition to the consistent offensive production of outside Elise Walchand opposite Nicole Walch, oppositeIzzy Carmona has emerged as another offensive weapon in recent matches.

Middle hitter Ashley Neff takes a lot of swings as well, which keeps opposing blockers from committing to the pins and freeing up space for the Walch sisters and Carmona to swing away and score.

Both teams use a 6-2 offensive system, so we will see a lot of hitters taking swings in this contest. One downside of the 6-2 system is that setters and hitters sometimes struggle getting in sync with one another and find that perfect offensive rhythm. I think this match will come down to aggressive serving and net presence. The team that keeps the other from finding their rhythm will have the upper hand. North Carolina is a slightly more aggressive serving team, and I like the way they attack the net with their block.

My Pick: North Carolina in four.

No. 1 Texas @ No. 25 Oklahoma

Saturday, November 2

ESPN.com

Coming off a national championship season and returning key players, it’s no surprise that Texas is once again at the top of the charts. Their 15-2 overall, 8-0 conference record has earned them a No. 1 ranking in both the Big 12 and nation.

Oklahoma was expected to tab a fifth-place finish in the Big 12 (according to the preseason poll). The Sooners’ 18-4 overall, 6-2 conference record has earned them a three-way tie for second place in the Big 12, along with a No. 25 ranking.

Texas is big at the net, scrappy in the backcourt and experienced. That’s a pretty lethal combination. After experimenting with both 5-1 and 6-2 offensive systems early in the season, the Longhorns seems to have settled on a 5-1 offense using setter Chloe Collins.

Pin hitters Haley Eckerman (left) and Bailey Webster continue to lead Texas offensively (216 and 222 kills respectively). Pin hitter Khat Bell along with middle hitters Molly McCage and Chiaka Ogbogu round out the Longhorns’ offensive contributors, but also add big blocking numbers. Each of the three has tallied over one block per set (1.15, 1.10 and 1.03 blocks per set, respectively).

Oklahoma runs a 5-1 offensive system with setter Julie Doyle. Strong passing and defense from libero Taylor Migliazzo keeps Doyle in-system and able to force balls to dominant middle hitters Sallie McLaurin and Kierra Holst.

Outside hitters Madison Ward and Keila Rodriguez have been playing well in their last few outings, giving Oklahoma the ability to spread out their offense and keep opponents guessing.

Texas is one of the only top-5 teams that aren’t tested weekly in conference play. This match against Oklahoma is a rare challenge for the Longhorns. They defeated the Sooners in straight sets in their first meeting this year, but Oklahoma is good and getting better (they were ranked No. 19 in the latest RPI). Traveling to the Sooners’ home court, I think Texas will have to work a little harder to walk away with a win.

My Pick: Texas in four.

That’s all I’ve got for you this week. If you have thoughts about the matches or want to talk volleyball, feel free to tweet @debstadick or @AVCAVolleyball.

Not-So-Notable News: Last weekend, I learned how to knit. Mainly because I needed something to do during TV matches that would keep me from spazzing out too badly. Don’t judge me.

Top-Five Recap: I went 2-3 last week week. Not my best performance. My overall pick record is now 27-20.

My Pick:Arizona def. Oregon in four.

Reality:Oregon def. Arizona in five.

Recap:Arizona had chances to win, they just weren’t putting the ball away in critical situations.

IMD:Oregon didn’t win this match, Arizona lost it.

My Pick:Penn State def. Michigan State in four.

Reality:Penn State def. Michigan State in three.

Recap: Penn State authoritatively avenged their loss, defeating Michigan State 25-14, 25-18, 25-20.

Penn State Athletics

My Pick:Kentucky def. Missouri in five.

Reality:Missouri def. Kentucky in three.

Recap:Missouri was crazy-good siding out and kept Kentucky from stringing together any runs.

IMD:It’s hard to be this consistent. Mizzou is defying the odds.

My Pick:North Carolina def. Florida State in four.

Reality:Florida State def. North Carolina in five.

Recap:Three Seminoles tabbed double-digit block assists, and the team tallied 28 total blocks.

IMD:Florida State absolutely derailed North Carolina’s traditionally low-error offense, and I didn’t see it coming.

My Pick:Texas def. Oklahoma in four.

Reality: Texas def. Oklahoma in four.

Recap: Oklahoma gave Texas headaches, but ultimately made a few too many errors to win.

Each week, you will have the opportunity to submit a match for me to preview. Tweet your selection to @debstadick and @AVCAVolleyball using the hashtag #DebsPicks. One submission will be previewed in the next blog.

No. 23 Cal State Northridge @ Long Beach State

Saturday, November 9

After upsetting nationally-ranked Hawaii, Cal State Northridge (19-4 overall, 9-1 in conference) finally garnered national attention and cracked the top-25 rankings. The Matadors’ current 23rd-place ranking is the highest in program history.

Long Beach State (12-10 overall, 5-4 in conference) has navigated a tough schedule this season. The 49ers have played 22 matches, 14 of which were against an opponent with a Pablo ranking of 88 or higher.

CSN Athletics

Senior setterSydney Gedryn runs Cal State Northridge’s 5-1 offensive system. Her even set distribution between outsidesNatalie Allen(left) andMahina Haina, oppositeCieana Stinson and middleCasey Hinger creates one-on-one attack situations for her hitters. As a result, the Matadors are clipping a .276 hitting efficiency this season. Cal State Northridge relies on liberoKelcie Randazzo to keep Gedryn in-system and able to spread her offense.

Long Beach State also runs a 5-1 offensive system. Setter Erin Juley loves to get the ball to six-rotation pin hittersDelainey Aigner-Swesey andAlex Reid. Middle hitter Chisom Okpala has developed into an effective offensive weapon for the 49ers as well. LiberoTyler Jackson anchors Long Beach State’s defense with help from defensive specialist Chelsea Cabrajac.

In their first meeting of the season, Cal State Northridge bested Long Beach State in four sets. The Matadors’ nine aces and 15 team blocks were key to success. Aggressive serving allowed Cal State Northridge to predict Long Beach State’s offense, set up a strong block and contain the 49ers’ big hitters. To stay in this match, Long Beach State will need solid serve-receive and smart attack decisions. To win this match, Long Beach State will need to do all of that and find a way to rattle Cal State Northridge’s’ offense. I don’t see it happening.

My Pick: Cal State Northridge in four.

Lipscomb @ East Tennessee State

Friday, November 8

ETSU Athletics

These two teams are duking it out for the Atlantic Sun Conference Title. East Tennessee currently leads the way with their 19-7 overall, 13-1 conference record. Lipscomb is hot on their tail with an 18-6 overall, 12-2 conference record. East Tennessee State bested Lipscomb earlier this season. Barely. The five-set battle ended at 15-13. This Friday, I expect more of the same.

Setter Jamie Rutledge(left) runs East Tennessee State’s 5-1 offensive system. The Buccaneers rely on six-rotation outside Megan Devine for offensive production and defensive consistency. Devine has taken over 1000 swings this season and tabbed one third of the team’s total kills.

Outside Ivey Rice provides another viable scoring option, while middle hitter Meredith Hardy is a force at the net (1.48 blocks per set).

Lipscomb runs a 5-1 as well with setter Caitlin Dotson. As a team, Lipscomb is clipping a .277 hitting efficiency this season. Outside hitter Lauren Ford and middle hitter Jewell Dobson pace the offense and take the majority of the team’s swings.

Libero Stephanie Rex and outside Sophie Kellerman are consistent defenders in Lipscomb’s backcourt.

Last time around, blocking gave East Tennessee State the edge. For Lipscomb to make sure that doesn’t happen again, they will need a strong serve-receive performance. If they can pass well and distribute their offense, they will create one-on-one attack situations and keep East Tennessee from running the show with their block. I think Lipscomb wins this one.

My Pick: Lipscomb in five.

Miami (FL) @ Virginia

Saturday, October 9

Miami (FL) was predicted to finish third in conference according to the Atlantic Coast preseason poll. The Hurricanes are living up to expectations and currently sit in fourth place with their 17-5, 8-4 conference record. Virginia (14-10, 7-5 in conference), predicted to finish in the bottom half of the conference, is currently in sixth place and coming off a four-match winning streak.

Miami normally uses setter Blair Fuentez in a 5-1 offensive system, but occasionally switches to a 6-2 by adding setter Caitlin Donohue. Outside Savanah Leaf and opposite Alex Johnson(below) continue to pace the offensive effort, leading in kills per game and total attempts.

Miami Athletics

Alexis Mourning and Emani Sims are efficient, low-error middle hitters that add a strong blocking presence to the Hurricanes’ front line (1.08 and 1.25 blocks per set, respectively). Leaf, Johnson and outside Misty Ma’a play all six rotations and help libero Ryan Shaffer hold down the Hurricane’s backcourt.

Sophomore setter Lauren Fuller runs Virginia’s 5-1 offensive system. She’s led her team to a .230 hitting efficiency on the season and loves to set outsides Tori Janowski and Haley Kole. Janowski is a key part of this team’s success: she leads in kills and aces and is second on the team in digs behind libero Emily Rottman.

This match will be a battle of the backcourts. Neither team carries game-changing blockers, so it will be up to the liberos and defensive specialists to make plays and put their teams in a position to run their offense and score. I like how Miami is playing lately. I think they will give Virginia’s back-row players more than they can handle.

My Pick: Miami in four.

Toledo @ Ball State

Thursday, November 7

The Independent Collegian

Our #DebsPicks fan submission of the week, this matchup was requested by @DavidPolaski. Ball State (22-5 overall, 10-2 in conference) currently leads the entire MAC, while Toledo (16-10 overall, 9-3 in conference) is second in the MAC West and third in the entire MAC. This match could very well determine the conference champion.

Toledo’s 5-1 offense is headed by setter Adria Pryor (left). Go-to outside Lauren Rafdal leads the Rockets in both total attempts and kills per set. Rafdal is dominant, but Toledo is tough to beat because she isn’t their only offensive option. Opposite Becca Reidy and middle Dakota Harkins are efficient hitters capable of taking over matches as well.

After experimenting with different setters and systems earlier this season, Ball State seems to have settled on a 5-1 with setter Jacqui Seidel. Catie Fredrich keeps Seidel in-system and able to set her efficient, high-scoring middles Mindy Marxand Hayley Benson. Whether she is in-system or out-of-system, Seidel can rely on dominant outside Alex Fuelingto put points on the board.

Both teams have strong offensive players. This match will be determined by defense. In their four-set victory earlier this season, Toledo held the edge in that category. They out-dug Ball State 72-69 and out-blocked Ball State 12-7. I think we can look for more of the same. Toledo has been playing hot lately (they’ve won their last five matches), and I just don’t think Ball State has what it takes defensively to knock them off their groove.

My Pick: Toledo in five.

Oklahoma @ No. 25 Iowa State

Saturday, November 9

These two teams have been dancing on the edge of the top-25 for the majority of the season. This week, Iowa State (15-6 overall, 8-2 in conference) is back on the list at No. 25, stealing the spot from none other than Oklahoma (18-6 overall, 6-4 in conference). This contest will tell us which squad deserves the spot.

Iowa State’s 5-1 offense is led by setter Jenelle Hudson. Senior libero Kristen Hahn (Big XII weekly award record-holder with 17), digs a ton of balls and gives the Cyclones’ inexperienced front line plenty of opportunity to take swings and score. Leading Iowa State’s offensive campaign is sophomore opposite Mackenzie Bigbee and freshman outside Ciara Capezio. A strong serving team, Iowa State has out-aced opponents 135-80 this season.

Oklahoma Athletics

Setter Julie Doyle leads Oklahoma’s 5-1 offensive system. Strong passing and defense from libero Taylor Migliazzo keeps Doyle in-system and able to force balls to dominant middle hitters Sallie McLaurin (right) and Kierro Holst. McLaurin helps out Oklahoma’s defense with 1.31 blocks per set. Outside hitters Madison Ward and Keila Rodriguez round out Oklahoma’s offensive contributors.

Oklahoma topped Iowa State earlier this season in a five-set battle. The match was ridiculously close: both teams hit efficiently, stayed relatively low-error, dug a lot of balls and blocked well. The difference was play-making, and I think that element will tell the story in this contest as well. The team that can make big plays in pressure situations will win this battle. I think Iowa State’s young roster is better-prepared to do that this time around. They are serving tougher and learning the keep the pressure on opponents. Plus, Oklahoma traditionally doesn’t play well on the road.

My Pick: Iowa State in five.

That’s all I’ve got for you this week. If you have thoughts about the matches or want to talk volleyball, feel free to tweet @debstadick or @AVCAVolleyball.

by Meggie Gradel, AVCA Intern

We see it far too often in any sport: players receiving preferential treatment because they are the coach’s favorite. In the world of volleyball, this is both a blessing and a curse. Every player has dealt with this issue at some point in time, either having the blessing of being the favorite, or the curse of being just another player. As the saying goes, “there is no ‘I’ in team”, and by choosing favorites, it is on par to saying that one player is more important than the team as a whole.

As a player who has witnessed with this first hand, I always wished I could have told my coaches where it went wrong – favoritism. Even though they may not have realized it, certain allowances would be made for these favorites, and after time this caused resentment on the team. It is always easier to respect and play next to someone you know earned their spot through hard work, not just because the coach liked them better. Sometimes the favorites were simply not the best at their job, or they were not giving it their all because they knew the coach would allow them to get away with it. When teammates begin to notice this, it can cause a rift not only between the players, but it can cause a loss of respect from player to coach. If your players do not respect your decisions as a coach, you have already lost.

Coach Leads Team Huddle

Playing favorites is the first step in this downward spiral. You have girls who work hard, constantly talk and are the leaders on and off the court, yet the coaches do not give them any recognition. They can make a single error and get pulled from the game, adding a sense of negativity to the growing resentment. Seeing the favorite screw up and be left on the court after multiple errors and get coached instead of taken out makes it all the worse. Sometimes this is unavoidable, and every player reacts differently to different forms of coaching. However, favoritism is not a type of coaching, and

players who are not the favorites may feel belittled and unneeded on the team.

Coach Kiraly Congratulates Player

This often causes their self-confidence and playing ability to decline drastically, and in a time where they are needed to perform, it could not be to their full potential. While you, as a player, cannot always fix the situation, it is always helpful to talk to your coach. Let them know, respectfully, how you are feeling and find out what you can do to make yourself better or earn a position on the court. No matter what, remember to always keep a positive attitude. It is one thing we are constantly in control of, and attitude can always make or break a team, or yourself. Remember that even if your playing time is unfair, that you love the game and somehow your hard work will pay off eventually.

As a coach, it is easy to pick out your favorite players after even a short amount of time. You notice the girls who work hard, talk loud, and give it their all every single time they step on that court. These girls are hard not to like, contrasting from the lazier, quieter players. You clearly see how much they want it and how hard they are willing to work for their spot. Sometimes, if a player is working so hard, but feels it goes unnoticed, they may start to lose some of that drive which makes them such an asset to the team.

Georgia Coach Motivating Team

In these cases, it is not a bad thing to let them know you notice and appreciate their hard work. In fact, I find that is what makes great coaches because they are giving the players positive affirmation they are doing well. However, I have also seen many coaches pick favorites based on no substantial reasoning over hard work, and allow personal politics dictate playing time. This is a big red flag. As a coach, your job is to be unbiased and do what is right for the team. Playing time should not be based on who your favorite is, who her parents are, or how long you have known them. In fact, most times the coach picks their own team, so every player should be your favorite because they were your selections. If that is not the case, it should still be based solely on who is the best and who deserves to play. When coaches decide playing time based on personal preference, the team can and will fall apart.

Cougars Celebrate with Coach

Always remember it is your job to coach and motivate a group of players that make up a team. It is always a game situation and not a one-on-one private lesson for your favorite player(s). Make sure you keep this in mind when you are coaching, and realize when you are giving certain players more coaching and more attention than others. Give praise when praise is due, and coach them when they make a mistake. No player likes to receive only negative feedback, so be aware of what tone you set with them from the beginning. The best coaches make all of their players feel like each one of them is a crucial part of the team, and they do so by treating every player with the same respect and fairness. This will lead to phenomenal results, when the relationship between the player and the coach is out of a mutual respect and understanding. The coach is often more than just a volleyball coach; they are the role models, teachers, and friends to many players. So coaches, be sure you are being the role model to your players that would make anyone proud.

Notable News: This week is the first time since 1991 that two top-10 ranked SEC teams will face each other in conference play. No. 5 Florida hosts No. 7 Missouri. It’s going to be epic.

Not-So-Notable News: All you volleyball nuts can relate to this, so listen up. Every week, I post a tweet asking for match submissions. When three-time Olympian Holly McPeak tweeted me with her recommendation, I freaked out. Badly. My life is now complete.

Top-Five Recap: I went three-for-five last week. My overall pick record is now 30-25.

My Pick:Cal State Northridge def. Long Beach State in four.

Reality:Cal State Northridge def. Long Beach State in five.

Recap:Cal State Northridge showed some serious grit. After winning set one, they dropped sets two and three before tabbing a 26-24 in set four to stay alive and a 15-12 win in set five.

My Pick:Lipscomb def. East Tennessee State in five.

Reality: East Tennessee State def. Lipscomb in five.

Recap: East Tennessee State fought from a two-set deficit to claim this ridiculously close match 25-27, 22-25, 25-21, 35-33, 15-13. Wow.

IMD: I don’t feel the need to defend myself after a match where all sets were determined by a total of 13 points. That’s just darn good volleyball.

My Pick: Miami def. Virginia in four.

Reality: Virginia def. Miami in four.

Recap: Miami came out strong and took the first set with a .263 hitting efficiency, but lost their rhythm and hit an average efficiency of .155 in the final three sets.

IMD:I’ve got nothing. :D

My Pick:Toledo def. Ball State in five.

Reality:Toledo def. Ball State in five.

Recap: Toledo’s 18 team blocks gave them the edge in this evenly matched battle.

My Pick:Iowa State def. Oklahoma in five.

Reality: Iowa State def. Oklahoma in three.

Recap: Iowa State’s back row defense was more than Oklahoma could handle.

Remember. Each Sunday, you will have the opportunity to submit a match for me to preview. Tweet your selection to @debstadick and @AVCAVolleyball. One submission will be previewed in the next blog.

No. 18 Purdue @ No. 25 Illinois

Saturday, November 16

The Fighting Illini (12-12 overall, 8-6 in conference) scored back-to-back wins over Michigan and Michigan State last weekend, earning them a place in the top-25 and bumping their overall record to .500 for the first time since preseason.

Purdue (16-9 overall, 7-7 in conference) is a talented squad. Despite their middle-of-the-pack Big Ten standing, the Boilermakers have been a top-25 mainstay this season and are a scary team to face. Just ask Nebraska.

Illinois Athletics

Illinois continues to run a 5-1 offensive system with setter Alexis Viliunas. The Illini’s recent surge of success can be credited in part to the standout play of six-rotation outside Jocelynn Birks (left). She carries the team with 339 kills and 1192 attempts and has developed into a consistent offensive force.

In the back row, Jennifer Beltran, Ali Starkand Danielle Davis have found a nice defensive rhythm and have started making big plays, boosting this Illini squad to the next level.

The Boilermakers run a 6-2 offensive system with setters Val Nicholand Rachel Davis. Nichol sets her three rotations across the back row, then rotates to the front row and hits. A dynamic opposite, she leads the team in kills and total attempts.

Libero Carly Cramer is a feisty defender and leads the team in digs with 353, but also brings leadership to the court.

I’ve said it before, and I think it holds true in this matchup. It’s hard to beat a team twice in the same season. Especially when traveling to their home-court as they battle to maintain NCAA-tournament eligibility. I think that the Illini can win this match if they make defensive plays and stay low-error from the service line.

My Pick: Illinois in four.

Northern Iowa @ Illinois State

Thursday, November 14

This Missouri Valley Conference showdown features the 19-7 overall, 11-3 in conference Northern Iowa Panthers and the 16-10 overall, 9-5 in-conference Illinois State Redbirds.

Northern Iowa and Illinois State were predicted to tab second-place and fourth-place conference finishes respectively. Heading into the final stretch of conference play, both squads have lived up to expectations. The Panthers have sole possession of second place, while Southern Illinois shares third place with Missouri State.

UNI Athletics

Northern Iowa runs a 5-1 system with setter Kinsey Caldwell. Four hitters contribute a similar number of kills to the Panthers’ well-rounded offense. Outsides Macy Ubben(kills leader - left) and Eryca Hingtgenlead the team in total attempts. The middle-hitting sibling duo of Shelbyand Courtney Kintzel provide two more efficient, high-scoring offensive options.

Northern Iowa is most effective when their defense is clicking and creating opportunities to set the middle. Scoring out of the middle draws the attention of opponents’ blockers and frees up a team’s outside hitters.

Kaitlyn Early runs Illinois State’s 5-1 offensive system. She loves to set six-rotation outside Ashley Rosch, who leads the team in kills and total attempts. Illinois State’s remaining four hitters (outside Stacey Niao,middles Emily Schneider and LeighAnn Hranka and opposite Brooklyn Klafka) all produce similar offensive numbers.

Illinois State and Northern Iowa are both strong at the net and on defense, so this match will come down to efficient front-row play. The side that can stay low-error and the repeatedly take smart, aggressive swings will have the edge in this match.

My Pick: Northern Iowa in four.

New Mexico @ No. 10 Colorado State

Thursday, November 14

With six matches left in the regular season, Colorado State (29-0) is edging closer and closer to an undefeated conference record. They currently hold first-place in the Mountain West. New Mexico (20-5 overall, 10-4 in conference) is just behind them in second place. The Lobos were two points away from spoiling the Rams’ undefeated record earlier this season. They forced a fifth set before falling 15-13.

CSU Athletics

Not a whole lot has changed since the last time we covered the Rams. They are still winning. Everything is still working. They are still a blast to watch in action. Deedra Fossruns their 5-1 system. All five hitters contribute in a balanced offensive effort. Outside Marlee Reynolds leads all hitters with 709 total attempts and 254 kills.

Middles Kelsey Sniderand Samantha Peters are the most efficient offensive contributors with their 345 and .409 hitting efficiencies respectively. Not just offensive players, Snider and Peters score a lot of points with their block, tabbing .109 and .150 blocks per set respectively.

New Mexico also runs a 5-1 offense with setter Hannah Johnson. She has led her team to a .242 hitting efficiency this season. The Lobos set a lot of balls to opposite Chantale Riddle. She has almost 400 more swings than any other hitter and leads the team with 374 kills.

A strong defensive team, middle hitters Lexi Rossand Skye Gullatthave contributed 1.12 and 1.28 blocks per set respectively while libero Miquella Lovato has 433 digs on the season.

These two teams are evenly matched. In their first meeting, both tabbed similar stat lines. It was the intangible swag-factor that gave Colorado State the advantage. This match will be close, but I think the Rams have the confidence and composure needed to make big plays when the match is on the line. It displayed itself last time around. I think it will shine through again.

My Pick: Colorado State in five.

No. 3 Washington @ No. 4 USC

Friday, November 15

This fan pick of the week was submitted by @hmcpeak1. She’s a three-time Olympian, so we couldn’t say no. We’re rewinding and revisiting this PAC-12, top-5 showdown.

In their first encounter this season, USC (22-3 overall, 12-2 in conference) fell to Washington 21-1 overall, 13-1 conference) in a four-set thriller. Right now, Washington holds first place in the PAC-12, and USC holds second place. There’s a lot on the line here, and I think we can expect a standout performance from both squads.

DailyUW.com

The Huskies’ 6-2 offense is set by Katy Bealsand Jenni Nogueras (right). While it’s nice having a pair of standout hitters (we’re thinking about outsides Krista Vansantand Kaleigh Nelson), it is Washington’s defense that makes them so hard to beat.

Libero Jenna Orlandini keeps a lot of balls alive (4.16 digs/set) while middle hitters Melanie Wade andLianna Sybeldon are dominant at the net (1.14 and 1.28 blocks per set respectively).

The Trojans’ 5-1 offense is paced by setter Hayley Crone. Libero Natalie Hagglund is one of the best I have seen this season. She makes a lot of nice plays and puts her team in position to move the ball around on offense.

USC relies on pin hitters Ebony Nwanebu, Samantha Bricioand Sara Shawto generate points offensively, and they are a very physical team at the net (thanks to middle hitters Alexis Olgard and Hannah Schraer).

This is probably the most exciting match in the nation next week. Neck-and-neck would be an understatement. The Huskies took care of business the first time around, and I think they will be able to do the same again in this match. Especially since they will be protecting their home court.

My Pick: Washington in five.

No. 7 Missouri @ No. 5 Florida

Friday, November 15

Okay. Maybe this is the most exciting match in the nation. Missouri is still undefeated. Still. Their perfect 29-0 record is beyond impressive. It’s unreal. Florida is 22-2 overall, 11-1 in conference. Their sole conference loss was to Missouri earlier this year.

This is the first time a pair of top-10 ranked SEC teams have met since 1991. As the conference schedule dwindles down, this match could very well determine the SEC champion.

Missouri Athletics

Molly Kreklowsets the Tigers’ 5-1 offensive system. She’s led her team to an impressive .360 hitting efficiency on the season. Pin hitters Lisa Henning (left) and Carly Kanpace Missouri’s offense, but middle hitters Emily Thaterand Whitney Littlealong with pin hitter Emily Wilsonare all viable scoring options as well.

A strong defensive team, Little leads the Tigers’ at the net and has tabbed 1.24 blocks per set this season. Libero Sarah Meisterkeeps the Tigers in-system on offense and helps them side-out quickly in serve receive. She’s just consistent.

The Gators’ 5-1 offensive system is led by setter Taylor Brauneis. She has the luxury of five effective hitters rotating through her front line. Outside Ziva Recek,Alex Holstonand Gabby Mallettealong with middles Chloe Mannand Simone Antwican all put the ball down.

This gives Brauneis freedom to get creative with her offense, run a lot of plays and distribute the ball among her hitters. The final piece of the puzzle is libero Taylor Unroe. She’s a strong defender (4.14 digs per set) and keeps the Gators in-system and firing on all cylinders.

In these showdown matches that pit two elite teams against each other, the difference between winning and losing often come down to one aspect of the game. Last time around, the Gators kept up with the Tigers on offense, from the service line and from the back court. Their state lines were close to identical. Their shortcoming was their net defense. Missouri out-blocked Florida 9.5 to 2. While Florida has the physicality to be a better blocking team, they aren’t there yet. The Tigers will exploit that again.

My Pick: Missouri in four.

Notable News: Colorado State’s 25-0 record is jaw-dropping, but the Rams’ dedication to doing things right outside of volleyball will straight up knock your socks off. Prior to their match against Air Force, Colorado State held an unexpected Veterans Day ceremony to honor their opponents. They presented the Air Force players with cake, balloons and handwritten thank-you cards. So cool. Click here to read about it.

Not-So-Notable News: Christmas music is already on the radio. Seriously? Going all Scrooge over here.

Top-Five Recap: I went five-for-five this week. It’s actually a little depressing. After 11 weeks of picking matches, getting five correct doesn’t increase my overall percentage by a whole lot. I’m now 35-30 overall. Plus side: that record makes me tournament eligible! :)

My Pick:Illinois def. Purdue in four.

Reality:Illinois def. Purdue in three.

Recap:Strong serve-receive and smart attack choices fueled this Illini victory.

My Pick:Northern Iowa def. Illinois State in four.

Reality:Northern Iowa def. Illinois State in four.

Recap: Northern Iowa played great defense, causing Illinois State grief on offense.

My Pick:Colorado State def. New Mexico in five.

Reality: Colorado State def. New Mexico in four.

Recap:Colorado State is now 25-0. Yowza.

My Pick:Washington def. USC in five.

Reality: Washington def. USC in four.

Recap:USC made a lot of hitting errors and put up less of a fight this time around.

Vansant was named Sports Imports/AVCA Player of the Week! Photo courtesy Pac-12.com

My Pick:Missouri def. Florida in four.

Reality: Missouri def. Florida in three.

Recap: Both teams played well, but Missouri made plays in critical situations.

Remember. Each Sunday, you will have the opportunity to submit a match for me to preview. Tweet your selection to @debstadickand @AVCAVolleyballusing the hashtag #DebsPicks. One submission will be previewed in the next blog.

Butler @ Marquette

Saturday, November 23

This is the final Big East match of the season for both Butler (23-6 overall, 10-4 in conference) and Marquette (21-5 overall, 13-1 in conference).

Since their four-set loss to Marquette earlier this month, Butler has yet to drop a set. They head into the contest on a five-match winning streak and seem to be clicking.

Butler Athletics

If Butler is clicking, Marquette is on fire. They are on a 10-match winning streak and hold first place in conference. With just two matches left, they’ve already nabbed at least a share of the Big East title.

The Bulldogs run a 5-1 offense with setter Morgan Peterson(left), and she’s led her team to a .267 hitting efficiency this season.

Peterson sets almost every ball to all-star outside hitter Belle Obert, and for good reason. Obert is responsible for nearly %24 of the points Butler has scored this season and is an all-around contributor with 341 kills, 109 blocks and 211 digs. She’s incredible.

Butler’s other hitters may not see many attempts on offense, but they find other ways to contribute. Middle hitters Erica Stahl and Maggie Harbison add 1.34 and 1.16 blocks per set, respectively.

Marquette runs a 5-1 offensive system with senior setter Elizabeth Koberstein. Libero Julie Jeziorowski does a great job keeping Koberstein in-system and allowing her to run Marquette’s balanced offense.

Outside Autumn Bailey is Marquette’s go-to hitter (she leads the team in kills and total attempts), but opposite Lindsey Gosh, outside Nele Barber and middle hitter Meghan Niemann all contribute significantly to the offensive effort. Over the course of the season, Niemann has emerged as an integral part of Marquette’s offense.

Last time around, Marquette’s defense held Obert to just nine kills on thirty-two attempts. If they can contain her again and force other Bulldogs hitters to make plays, they should be in position to tally the win.

My Pick: Marquette in four.

Cal State Northridge @ No. 12 Hawaii

Saturday, November 23

Back in August, most would have tabbed Hawaii (20-4 overall, 9-3 in conference) as the team-to-beat in the Big West. Turns out Cal State Northridge (22-5 overall, 12-2 in conference) wanted that honor. The Matadors hold first place in conference, while Hawaii has dropped to third.

Senior setter Sydney Gedryn runs Cal State Northridge's 5-1 offensive system. Outsides Natalia Allen and Mahina Haina, opposite Cieana Stinson and middle Casey Hinger all contribute in the Matadors’ balanced attack plan.

To run their balanced offense, strong passing and defense is essential. Cal State Northridge relies on libero Kelcie Randazzo to make defensive plays and give her hitters a lot of opportunity to swing and score.

Inside Out Hawai'i

Hawaii runs a 5-1 offensive system with setter Mita Uiato and relies on six-rotation outside Emily Hartong(right) to score the majority of their points. She is one of those players who can absolutely take over a match. She rarely has an “off” night.

While Hartong usually steals the show, outside Jade Vorster and middle NIkki Taylor are key parts of Hawaii’s offense. They are efficient, low-error hitters that can’t be left alone by opposing defenders. Strong passing from Ali Longo allows Hawaii to use all three and keep their opponents off-balance.

When Hawaii fell to Cal State Northridge earlier this season, they were on the road. Time-zone jumping definitely factored into the loss. This time, Cal State Northridge is the team on the road. I think the time-zone factor paired with Hawaii’s thirst for vengeance paired with Hawaii’s rowdy home court will keep Cal State Northridge from sweeping the Fighting Wahine.

My Pick: Hawaii in four.

No. 22 Kansas @ No. 24 Iowa State

Wednesday, November 20

Iowa State is 17-6 overall, 10-2 in conference. Kansas is 20-6 overall, 10-3 in conference. Iowa State holds second place in conference. Kansas is just behind them in third. Iowa State has a Pablo ranking of 28. Kansas has a Pablo ranking of 21. Buckle up. This is going to be a good one.

Setter Jenelle Hudson normally runs the Cyclones’ 5-1 offense but was injured and unable to play in their last match. Under-the-radar setter/defensive specialist Taylor Goetz(below) took the reins and led her team to a three-set sweep of West Virginia. Goes to show that every player is essential to a team’s success.

ISU Athletics Communications

Strong at the pins, opposite Mackenzie Bigbee and outsides Ciara Capezio and Victoria Hurtt pace the Cyclones offense. Senior libero Kristen Hahn continues to add fire and senior leadership to the fairly young Iowa State squad.

Kansas relies on strong serve receive and defense to keep them in-system and able to pump a lot of balls to middle hitter Caroline Jarmoc. She is efficient, low-error and always available. Teams have to pay attention to Jarmoc, which creates a lot of room for outside kills-leader Sara Mcclint to craft shots and score.

Erin McNorton runs Kansas’ 5-1 offense, while libero Brianne Riley holds down the backcourt.

Last time they met, these two teams pretty much neutralized each other. Neither drastically out-did the other in any stat category. What the match came down to was execution. When it mattered, Iowa State produced. This time around, I think we can expect the same even play. The smallest of factors, such as home-court advantage or Hudson’s health, will affect the outcome. Assume Hudson is ready to go, I am giving this one to Iowa State.

My Pick: Iowa State in five.

No. 3 Washington @ No. 5 Stanford

Wednesday, November 20

With USC’s recent fall from grace, Washington (23-1 overall, 15-1 in conference) and Stanford (20-5 overall, 13-3 in conference) hold first and second place in the Pac-12, respectively. These teams have stayed consistently elite over the course of the season. Washington took five sets to claim the victory in their last meeting. I think we can expect another intense, exciting match this time around.

The Huskies are just plain old good. They’ve found rhythm and consistency in their attack, which isn’t an easy feat when running a 6-2 offense.

Setters Katy Bealsand Jenni Nogueras love to set six-rotation outside Krista Vansant along with fellow outside Kaleigh Nelson. The duo has combined for over half of the team’s total kills this season.

A strong defensive team, libero Jenna Orlandini keeps a lot of balls alive (4.07 digs/set), while middle hitters Melanie Wade and Lianna Sybeldon are dominant at the net (1.17 and 1.32 blocks per set, respectively).

While Stanford has consistent pin hitters (like outsides Rachel Williamsand Brittany Howard), their play in the middle sets them apart.

Stanforddaily.com

Carly Wopat(left) leads the Cardinal in kills (243), kills per set (2.96), hitting percentage (.460), blocks (121), and blocks per set (1.48). She’s a lethal weapon. Fellow middle Inky Ajanaku is also an efficient hitter (.426) and adds a formidable block (1.36 blocks per set).

A feisty defensive team, libero Kyle Gilbert makes a lot of nice plays and keeps setterMadi Bugg in-system and able to distribute her offense.

Last time around, serving made all the difference. Washington trailed Stanford in almost every stat category. Expect aces. The Huskies out-aced Stanford 10-1. The Huskies were very aggressive at the serving line in that match. Even the balls that didn’t drop were oftentimes passed off the net, which forced Stanford out-of-system and away from running their middle-reliant offense. Stanford’s remaining hitters just couldn’t carry that added offensive pressure. If Washington can stay aggressive and low-error with their serves in this match, I think they hold the edge.

My Pick: Washington in four.

No. 15 Wisconsin @ No. 17 Michigan State

Friday, November 22

These two teams have identical Big Ten records, but their season stories are drastically different.

Michigan State (20-8 overall, 9-7 in conference) won their first six matches of conference play. They proceeded to win just three of their next ten matches.

Wisconsin (20-7 overall, 9-7 in conference) has stayed consistent all season. They’ve beaten teams they should beat, stolen wins from good teams and fallen to strong teams.

MSU Athletics

Kristen Kelsay (left)and Halle Peterson share setting duties in the Spartans’ 6-2 offensive system. A lot of balls are set to outside Lauren Wicinski. An awful lot. She leads the team in kills and has taken over 1,000 swings this season, good for one third of the team’s total attack attempts. My shoulder hurts just reading those numbers.

Middle hitter Alexis Matthewsadds a nice scoring option in the middle (.415 hitting efficiency). In addition to her offensive contribution, Matthews adds 1.46 blocks per set. Libero Kori Moster continues to run the backcourt.

Wisconsin’s 5-1 offense is set by freshman standout Lauren Carlini. She’s led her team to a .225 hitting efficiency this season. The Badgers rely on a trio of dynamic pin-hitters--Courtney Thomas, Ellen Chapman and Deme Morales-- along with middle hitter Dominique Thompson to carry the offensive weight.

It’s worth noting that Morales stands a whopping 5-7 and is second on the team in kills. Go, girl. Libero Annemarie Hickey keeps Carlini in-system and able to run her multiple offensive options.

I think this one will go Wisconsin. They’ve been playing well lately, while Michigan State is still struggling to perform against good teams.

Second message: Marlo scheduled for Impact. Date got switched to Dec. 1. She can't make new date. Call her at 262-391-5484.

My Pick: Wisconsin in four.

That’s all I’ve got for you this week. If you have thoughts about the matches or want to talk volleyball, feel free to tweet @debstadick or @AVCAVolleyball.

Notable News: With just one week left of conference play, Marquette entered the AVCA Coaches Poll Top-25 for the first time in program history. They currently hold No. 24.

Not-So-Notable News: Is it still notable that Colorado State and Missouri are undefeated, or is that just the expectation these days? Hm.

Top-Five Recap: I went three for five this week in my picks, upping my overall record to 38-35. With one week of regular-season play left to go, I am barely hanging above .500 and maintaining NCAA tournament eligibility!

My Pick: Marquette def. Butler in four.

Reality: Marquette def. Butler in four.

Recap:After their victories this weekend, Marquette clocked in at No. 24 in the nation. Apparently, they are kind of good this year.

My Pick: Hawaii def. Cal State Northridge in four.

Reality: Hawaii def. Cal State Northridge in three.

Recap: Hawaii’s Emily Hartong posted a solid performance as always, but Nikki Taylor along with Tai Manu-Olevao took over the match.

My Pick: Iowa State def. Kansas in five.

Reality: Kansas def. Iowa State in four.

Recap:The Cyclones struggled offensively, posting 33 hitting errors and a .167 hitting efficiency.

IMD: I should have factored in the Cyclones’ young outsides playing like young outsides.

My Pick: Washington def. Stanford in four.

Reality: Stanford def. Washington in three.

Recap: The Huskies made a lot of hitting errors and were ineffective at the service line, allowing Stanford to play to their strengths and set a lot of middle.

IMD: I predicted tough serving would make a difference, but it was actually the lack of tough serving that made the difference.

My Pick: Wisconsin def. Michigan State in four.

Reality:Wisconsin def. Michigan State in four.

Recap: Michigan State was once again plagued by errors. They hit .179 to Wisconsin’s .246.

Before we dive in, I want to spend a second talking about how exactly a team earns an NCAA tournament berth. There are two types of bids: automatic bids and at-large bids. Automatic bids are awarded to conference champions. Pretty self-explanatory. At-Large bids are awarded to teams that finish the season with an overall record of .500 or higher AND have a strong RPI ranking.

What’s this RPI thing? Good question. It’s a super-complicated formula that ranks every single DI team from 1-322 based on factors like strength of schedule, wins and losses. A team with a top-45 (ish) RPI will normally receive an at-large bid. Normally. Teams sitting right around a #45 RPI are usually pretty nervous this time of year.

Remember. Each Sunday, you will have the opportunity to submit a match for me to preview. Tweet your selection to@debstadick and @AVCAVolleyball. One submission will be previewed in the next blog.

No. 2 Penn State @ No. 10 Nebraska

Saturday, November 30

This matchup was submitted by @TandemCaptain. I can’t think of a better way to end a crazy season of Big Ten play than with a match between conference leaders Penn State (26-2 overall, 17-1 in conference) and Nebraska (22-5 overall, 15-3 in conference). Both teams are eligible for the NCAA tournament because their overall records are greater than .500. Penn State will clinch the conference title and be awarded an automatic bid, while Nebraska’s #8 RPI ranking will likely secure the Huskers an at-large bid.

Photo: PSU Athletics

Penn State opened conference play with a loss to Michigan State before reverting to their winning ways. They’ve progressed from beating teams to pummeling teams over the course of the season. Micah Hancock(left) runs the 5-1 offense (she was tabbed Big Ten Setter of the Week this week). Katie Slay dominates the net from the middle, while Deja McClendon, Nia Grantand Ariel Scott provide offensive prowess at the pins.

Nebraska brought in nine new players last season, but they already have found chemistry on the court. Outside Kelsey Robinson and setter Mary Pollmiller bring leadership and experience to the court (both transferred from Tennessee). Pin hitters Amber and Kadie Rolfzen carry a lot of offensive weight and play with composure uncommon to freshman.

The outcome only sort of matters. Penn State has already earned at least a share of the Big Ten title, while the chips would have to fall perfectly in place for Nebraska to earn a share. What matters a lot is the way these teams perform. This being the last match of regular-season play, how each team looks will give us a pretty good idea of what we can expect from them in the NCAA tournament.

My Pick: I predict we’ll see two elite teams peaking at the right time and putting on a great show. Oh wait, that’s not a pick. Penn State in four.

No. 21 Kansas @ Oklahoma

Saturday, November 30

Kansas (22-6 overall, 12-3 in conference) travels to Oklahoma (21-7 overall, 9-5 in conference) to close out Big XII play. Last time around, the hosting Jayhawks tabbed a three-set victory over the Sooners. Oklahoma traditionally struggles on the road, and I think they’ll put up a better fight on their home court. Both teams have overall records above .500 and are thus NCAA tournament candidates for at-large bids. Kansas has a #12 RPI ranking, while Oklahoma is #23. Those numbers should get them into the dance regardless of how this match turns out.

Photo: Kansas Athletics

Kansas relies heavily on the play of outside Sara Mcclinton(right) and middle Caroline Jarmoc. The duo paces the offensive campaign with 325 and 324 kills respectively. Jarmoc is also a formidable blocker and tabs 1.22 blocks per set. Setter Erin McNorton runs the 5-1 offensive system and contributes to the defensive effort with her 53 blocks and 217 digs.

Julie Doyle sets Oklahoma’s 5-1 offensive system, while Taylor Migliazzo holds down the back court and keeps Doyle in-system. The Sooners love to set middle hitters Sallie McLaurin and Kierro Holst. The pair has notched 679 of the team’s 1339 kills this season. In addition to her offensive play, McLaurin leads all blockers with 1.35 blocks per set.

This is a meeting of powerhouse middles, and I think matchups will play a big part in this contest. McLaurin is a much better blocker than Holst. If she’s lined up against Kansas’ Jarmoc, the Sooners may be able to neutralize Jarmoc and force Mcclinton to carry the weight offensively.

My Pick: Kansas in five.

No. 14 North Carolina @ No. 15 Duke

Friday, November 29

This ACC match promises to be yet another exciting conclusion to regular-season play. Duke (24-5 overall, 16-2 in conference) currently holds first place in conference, but North Carolina (26-3 overall, 15-3 in conference) sits just one game back. Both teams are tournament-eligible according to record, and both have solid RPI ranks (Duke holds #18 while North Carolina holds #21). Winning or losing this match shouldn’t have much impact on tournament berth, but who really knows for sure.

North Carolina runs a 6-2 offensive system. Jordyn Schnabl and Abigail Curry have led the team to a .249 hitting efficiency. Their primary hitters are unquestionably outsides Leigh Andrewand Jovana Bjelicaalong with middle Paige Neuenfeldt(below). The Tar Heels are a strong serving team and have tabbed 154 aces this season.

Photo: UNC Athletics

Duke also relies on play at the pins to generate offense. Outsides Emily Sklar and Jeme Obeime lead the offense with 349 and 322 kills respectively. Duke is strong defensively. Libero Ali McCurdyalong with freshman defensive specialist Sasha Karelov have combined for 708 digs this season while middle Chelsea Cook has tallied 116 blocks.

When we visited this matchup in October, Duke was on the verge of breaking into the top-25 AVCA Coaches’ Poll rankings. After earning a road-sweep over North Carolina, the Blue Devils have earned and maintained top-25 ranking. Both teams are playing really well right now, but I think Duke’s blocking and defense will help them earn the final W of conference play.

My Pick: Duke in four.

No. 7 USC @ UCLA

Wednesday, November 27

This match is setting up to be insane. We’ve got bitter in-state rivals from one of the toughest volleyball conferences facing off during the final week of regular-season play. USC (24-5 overall, 14-4 in conference) is a lock for post-season play, while UCLA (15-13 overall, 6-12 in conference) is still lingering on the bubble. The Bruins are one big win away from clinching their spot in the dance.

From an overall-record standpoint, the Bruins are eligible for the NCAA tournament. They will finish the season at or above .500, which is a post-season requirement. A win over USC would likely solidify a top-45 RPI and all but guarantee a trip to the tournament. Needless to say, UCLA will be out for blood.

The Bruins set a lot of balls to the pins. Outsides Karsta Lowe and Kelly Reeves head up the Bruins’ offense with 466 and 301 kills respectively. Megan Moenoa sets UCLA’s 5-1 offense, while libero Karly Drolson along with Reeves pace the defense. UCLA is not a particularly strong blocking or serving team, and it’s plagued them this season. We’ll see if they can compensate for those weaknesses in this contest.

USC continues to win matches with their defensive play. At the net, middles Alexis Olgard and Hannah Schraer have notched 1.29 and 1.03 blocks per set (respectively). In the backcourt, libero Natalie Hagglund (below) has recorded 552 digs. Hayley Crone sets the Trojans’ 5-1 system and relies on outsides Ebony Nwanebu and Samantha Bricio along with Olgard to score points.

Photo: NCAA.com

This will be an interesting match. There is nothing like an in-state, conference rivalry to bring out the best in two teams. I think that USC definitely holds the defensive edge, but they have been error prone this season. If UCLA can force them out of their comfort zone with tough serving and force long rallies with scrappy defense, they just might post the upset. We’ll see.

My Pick: USC in four.

No. 6 Florida @ No. 17 Kentucky

Wednesday, November 27

Florida (26-3 overall, 15-2 in conference) has posted an impressive season to date. They’ve maintained top-10 ranking. They’ve only lost twice in conference play, both times to a rockstar Missouri squad. Kentucky (21-7 overall, 13-4 in conference) is doing big things this season as well. They’ve not quite reached the level of Florida or Missouri, but they are knocking on the door. They will finish SEC play in third place behind Missouri (#1) and Florida (#2).

Both teams are tournament eligible according to their records, and both have a high RPI (Florida clocks in at #4 while Kentucky holds #9).

Photo: UK Athletics

Kentucky succeeds or struggles on the back of six-rotation outside Whitney Billings (right). She absolutely dominates the Wildcats’ offensive numbers (350k, .260 hitting efficiency) and contributes 2.76 digs per set along with .80 blocks per set. A trio of outsides --Annie Thomasson, Lauren O’Connor and middle Alexandra Morgan compliment Billings’ prowess in the front row and all contribute to the offense.

Florida is athletic and efficient. Outside Ziva Recek,Alex Holston and Gabby Mallette along with middle Simone Antwi contribute to the offense and add high-efficiency offensive numbers. As a whole, the Gators’ have posted a .334 hitting efficiency this season. Middle Chloe Mann does more than contribute to the offense. She spearheads it with her team-high 321 kills and .505 hitting efficiency. Mann recently notched her 1,500 career kill, which means her insanely high career hitting percentage is now eligible for the NCAA record book.

The first time these two clashed, Florida walked away with the 25-20, 25-20, 25-20 victory. Kentucky is right there on the edge of greatness. They’ve continued to improve all season, and I think the Wildcats will give the Gators a match and put on a show for their home crowd. I still think Florida steals the show, but, I expect at least four sets.

My Pick: Florida in five.

That’s all I’ve got for you this week. I can’t wait till Sunday at 8:30 p.m. when the NCAA Tournament Selection Show airs! J As always, feel free to tweet @debstadick and talk volleyball with me.

Before we dive in, I want to point out what I consider to be the most important factor in post-season play. It isn’t talent. The best team on paper doesn’t always win because the tournament isn’t an isolated event. We often neglect the five zillion factors impacting a team’s performance. Flu bugs, injuries, sleep deprivation, final exam pressures, travel woes, breakups and other random factors ALL come into play.

A team needs more than talent to win a national championship. A team needs composure to manage the intangibles, grit to fight through imperfect circumstances and, of course, a little bit of luck...but talent doesn’t hurt either.

NEBRASKA REGIONAL

Texas def. Texas State

Texas is bigger, stronger, better and more experienced in post-season play. Several of the Longhorns' key players were on last season’s championship squad. This one’s a no-brainer.

My Pick: Texas in three.

Texas A&M def. UTSA:

Texas A&M has some talent in the gym this season, and I think they should be able to handle San Antonio. It’ll probably take extra sets. but A&M will get it done.

My Pick: Texas A&M in four.

Georgia def. American

Georgia should win, but American is a sleeper team that’s gotten hot the last few matches of conference play. This one could get interesting.

My Pick: Georgia in five.

Duke def. College of Charleston

Duke is good. They’ve had a tough conference schedule and have shown a lot of potential. I expect them to make a run in the tournament, starting with this match.

My Pick: Duke in four.

Chloe Ferrari (USD Athletics)

San Diego def. UC Santa Barbara

UC Santa Barbara is pretty good, but San Diego has posted a break-out season and I think they will be ready to prove they weren’t just a flash-in-the-pan.

My Pick: San Diego in four.

Arizona def. New Mexico State

Despite the fact they’ve flown under-the-radar all season, Arizona is a team that has consistently won big matches. I see them handing it to New Mexico State.

My Pick: Arizona in three.

Miami (FL) def. Oregon

Fresh off a championship appearance, it might make sense to pick Oregon in this bout. They haven’t shown me much this year, and I have a weird feeling Miami will pull out the win.

My Pick: Miami (FL) in five.

Nebraska def. Fairfield

Nebraska might be young in some key positions, but their composure so far this season leads me to believe they can handle the tournament heat and make a run for the title. See ya later, Fairfield.

My Pick: Nebraska in three.

CHAMPAIGN REGIONAL

Florida def. Jacksonville

Florida is a scary team to play this season. I don’t think Jacksonville will be able to hang with the efficiency and physicality of this Gator squad.

My Pick: Florida in three.

Florida State def. Georgia Southern

The only way Florida State loses this one is if they beat themselves. Don’t get me wrong, that could definitely happen to the up-and-down Seminoles, but ultimately I think they’ll tab the win.

My Pick: Florida State in four.

North Carolina def. Cal

I really, really want North Carolina to win this one. They posted a 15-match winning streak earlier this season and have stayed pretty consistent throughout. Cal has a little bit more firepower, but if North Carolina finds their groove, they could pull this off.

My Pick: North Carolina in five.

Wisconsin def. Milwaukee

The Badgers are back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007. They’ve got a point to prove. I anticipate they hand it to Milwaukee, especially since they are playing at the Fieldhouse.

My Pick: Wisconsin in three.

Wisconsin's Lauren Carlini quarterbacks the Badgers' offense.

Illinois def. Morehead State

Illinois advanced to the NCAA Finals in 2011, failed to make the tournament in 2012 and are hosting the first four rounds of post-season play. This better be a straight-set victory.

My Pick: Illinois in four.

Marquette def. Louisville

Marquette is fresh off a Big East Title and playing great volleyball right now. They are also less-than-thrilled they weren’t selected to host the first rounds. That’ll have them fired up and ready to go.

My Pick: Marquette in five.

Purdue def. Central Arkansas

Purdue is a great team with a ton of fire power and a standout setter. They’ve been playing Big Ten volleyball all season and should be ready to roll.

My Pick: Purdue in four.

Missouri def. IUPUI

Missouri came out of nowhere this season and tabbed an undefeated record over a slew of ranked teams. They are the No. 4-seeded team in the tournament, but facing them is just as scary as facing Penn State in my opinion.

My Pick: Missouri in three.

LOS ANGELES REGIONAL

Washington def. Alabama State

Washington has been my team all season, and for good reason. They have a ton of weapons, including PAC-12 Player of the Year Krista Vansant. Alabama State doesn’t stand a chance.

My Pick: Washington in three.

Michigan def. LSU

This is a tough one to call. LSU has potential. Their SEC schedule has pitted them against strong opponents all season, so tournament play won’t be a change of pace. But their conference record isn’t great (8-10). On the flip-side, Michigan has Big Ten experience and success.

My Pick: Michigan in four.

Creighton def. Arkansas

Creighton has some athletic players and handles pressure well. They also have tournament experience and success. I am thinking about a particular first-round win over Iowa State in 2010 (still bitter).

My Pick: Creighton in four.

KU's Caroline Jarmoc (KU Sports/Richard Gwin)

Kansas def. Wichita State

I cannot WAIT for this match. We’ve got two in-state squads with strong programs going at it. I think Kansas will win, but Wichita State will give them headaches and make them work for it.

My Pick: Kansas in five

Hawai'i def. Idaho State

Hawai'i has a standout player in Emily Hartong, and I expect them to make a deep post-season run. Idaho State should be a good warm-up. Then again, Hawaii likes to drop random matches. So this may not be as much of a no-brainer as I’d like to think.

My Pick: Hawaii in four.

BYU def. Arizona State

Arizona State made some noise earlier this season, but have been pretty quiet in recent weeks. I think BYU takes this match. Their plod-on mentality has earned them a handful of nice wins throughout the season.

My Pick: BYU in four.

Cal State Northridge def. Colorado State

Colorado State looks great on paper. They almost went undefeated in regular-season play. But they didn’t. And their conference schedule wasn’t that tough. Cal State Northridge is a good team. They broke into the top-25 and have a handful of huge wins (including over Hawai'i).

My Pick: Cal State Northridge in five.

USC def. New Hampshire

I don’t think many teams can compete with the physicality of this USC squad. They are huge at the net and scrappy on defense. I think they may end up in contention for the title. New Hampshire would need a miracle to win this match.

My Pick: USC in three.

LEXINGTON REGIONAL

Stanford def. Hampton

Stanford has efficient hitters, great defense and physical athletes. They are a top-5 team for a reason, and I think it’ll show in this contest. Hampton won’t have an answer for their play in the middle.

My Pick: Stanford in three.

Oklahoma def. Alabama

Oklahoma is probably the better team. I wonder how they will do on the road as they don’t travel well in conference, but the tournament is a whole different story. I think their defense (both at the net and in the backcourt) and strong middle attack will pave the way to victory.

My Pick: Oklahoma in five.

Colorado def. Iowa State

Good golly, I want to pick the Cyclones. But I think Colorado is fired up to be in the tournament and playing great volleyball right now. The Cyclones have struggled to find consistent offensive production, and I think their youth at the pins will hurt them.

My Pick: Colorado in five.

Minnesota def. Radford

Minnesota has tried a lot of players in a lot of positions, but seem to have hit their stride lately. Radford won’t be able to keep up with their dominant middle attack and heavy-armed pin hitters. Playing at home will help the Gophers’ cause as well.

My Pick: Minnesota in three.

UK's Whitney Billings (UK Athletics)

Kentucky def. Duquesne

Kentucky has been a fun team to watch this year. I think they have the firepower and ball control to post a run in the playoffs. A lot of their success will come down to playing with composure. Starting out postseason play on their home court should help.

My Pick: Kentucky in three.

Ohio def. Michigan State

Ohio is a nice team that has danced below-the-radar this season. Michigan State has done nothing but clog up the radar. A 6-0 start to Big 10 play (including a win in Penn State’s home gym) tends to do that. Unfortunately, the Spartans haven’t handled pressure well lately. It might just tip the scale in Ohio’s favor.

My Pick: Ohio in five.

Utah def. Yale

As part of the PAC-12, Utah has gone head-to-head with elite teams all season. I think that experience will make them a scary team to face in the first few rounds. The first step is (obviously) beating Yale. I think they are up to the challenge. Watch out, Penn State.

My Pick: Utah in four.

Penn State def. LIU Brooklyn

Penn State has spent the past few weeks annihilating the nation’s top-seeded teams in Big Ten play. I expect them to dole out a similar fate to LIU Brooklyn.

My Pick: Penn State in three.

Whew. If you read all that, you are a true volleyball fan. Check back for another round of match mini-previews and predictions. Feel free to tweet @debstadick or @AVCAVolleyball to talk about all the NCAA tournament craziness.

The first and second rounds of the NCAA DI Volleyball Tournament went largely as expected, and the favored teams all advanced to the regional semifinals. Ha. Not.

Notable News: Both Kansas and American advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in program history. More notable: American’s win over Georgia in the first round marked their first-ever NCAA tournament victory.

Recap: My first-round selections boosted my overall pick record. I called 28 of 32 matches correctly, improving my record to 70-44. I have this weird, totally unfounded feeling that picking winners may get harder in the Sweet Sixteen. No idea why. Hm. Here’s a quick highlight reel from last week’s action.

-No. 21 BYU toppled No. 11 Hawaii.

-American knocked off Georgia and No. 16 Duke.

-No. 19 Purdue bested No. 4 Missouri.

-No. 16 Florida State took down No. 5 Florida.

-No. 20 Michigan State defeated No. 15 Kentucky.

-No SEC teams advanced to the Sweet 16.

-Seven Big Ten teams are in the Sweet 16.

-Three Pac-12 teams are in the Sweet 16.

Alright. Let’s check out this weekend’s Sweet Sixteen matchups:

ALL MATCHES WILL BE STREAMED LIVE ON ESPN3!

American Head Coach Barry Goldberg
/AU Athletics

No. 1 Texas def. American - Dec. 13th, 6PM ET

American is proof that anything can happen come tournament time. They notched the program’s first-ever tournament win AND advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. Unfortunately, their next match pits them head-to-head with the defending national champions. I think the fairytale ends here.

My Pick: Texas in four.

No. 9 Nebraska def. No. 8 San Diego - Dec. 13th, 8PM ET

San Diego is a team that made waves early in the season then went largely unnoticed despite seeing a lot of success. They’ve strung together a nice playoff run, but I don’t think their fast-paced offense and undersized pin hitters will be all that effective when pitted against Nebraska’s strong block and scrappy court defense. I see Nebraska taking this one, but I expect a battle.

My Pick: Nebraska in five.

No. 5 Washington def. No. 23 Kansas - Dec. 13th, 8PM ET

Kansas is a strong team with a handful of nice players. They’ve hung with the big dogs and shown that system volleyball can carry a team to the next level. I think the Jayhawks will give the Huskies a hard time, but I don’t think Kansas has strong enough court or net defense to contend with the Washington’s heavy artillery.

My Pick: Washington in four.

No. 7 USC def. No. 21 BYU - Dec. 13th, 10PM ET

I said it last week, and I’ll say it again now. BYU is a scary team to play. The word “quiet” comes to mind. They just do their thing, work hard and play as a team...and it’s working. USC, on the other hand, is loud. They are physical, top-ranked and expected to make a run for the title. I think USC is the better team, but I also know that means absolutely nothing in the playoffs.

My Pick: USC in five.

USC's Natalie Hagglund/Pac-12.com

No. 16 Florida State def. No. 13 Wisconsin - Dec. 13th, 8PM ET

Wisconsin is back in the dance for the first time since 2007. Florida State, on the other hand, is treading on familiar ground. Both teams score a lot of points from the pins. Both teams have scrappy defenders. Wisconsin is very much a what-you-see-is-what-you-get squad. They consistently bring the same level of play. Florida State is a roller coaster, but they have the ability to crank it up another level and go off on teams. If the Seminoles play to their potential, this one is there’s.

My Pick: Florida State in five.

No. 18 Illinois def. No. 19 Purdue - Dec. 13th, 7PM ET

Illinois'Jocelynn Birks/news-gazette.com

Familiar foes, Illinois and Purdue split during conference play. If their previous meetings are any indication of what we can expect from this match, big sister over here should be mentally preparing for a battle (Editor's note: Deb's younger sister Katie Stadick is a freshman middle blocker for the Illini). Illinois won the latest meeting, but Purdue has gotten hot in post-season play (they took down No. 4-seeded Missouri in the second round). I think the Illini will rise to the occasion in front of their home crowd. At least I hope so.

My Pick: Illinois in four.

No. 2 Penn State def. No. 20 Michigan State - Dec. 13th, 5PM ET

These two conference opponents split during the regular season, but I think Penn State will run the show this weekend. Michigan State has gotten back on track and hit their stride in recent weeks. And they did figure out how to beat Penn State once before. But the Nittany Lions have annihilated opponents since falling to Michigan State early in conference play. I don’t see that trend ending in this match.

My Pick: Penn State in four.

Stanford's Carly Wopat/ESPNW

No. 3 Stanford def. No. 10 Minnesota - Dec. 13th, 7PM ET

I can’t wait to watch this one. Two of the nation’s premier middle hitters will be going head-to-head (Stanford's Carly Wopat and Minnesota's Tori Dixon). It doesn’t get much better. Both Minnesota and Stanford play low-error volleyball and wait for their opponents to make mistakes. This match will come down to the serve/pass game and ball control (wait—isn’t that every match…). In serve and pass, I think Stanford holds the edge.

My Pick: Stanford in five.

That’s all I have for you this week. Tweet where you think I am right or wrong to @debstadick or @AVCAVolleyball. We’d love to hear your thoughts on the matches.

Volleyball enthusiasts across the nation spent Saturday glued to their TVs, iPads, and smartphones following the NCAA DI Volleyball Tournament action, and with good reason. Washington’s five-set victory over USC and Penn State’s narrow victory over Stanford were amazing spectacles. But in the midst of the DI tournament hoopla, many fans missed the biggest story of the weekend.

While we were yelling at our screens and marking “X’s” through our brackets, Concordia-St. Paul won the 2013 DII Women’s Volleyball Championship title. Though claiming a national title is an impressive feat in-and-of itself, you are probably wondering why this is the biggest story of the weekend.

When No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul defeated No. 4 BYU-Hawai'i in straight sets, the Golden Bears didn’t just win the championship, they won it an NCAA volleyball record seventh consecutive time. Yes, I just used the words “seventh consecutive” and “national title” in the same sentence.

For most teams, it’s an accomplishment to make the NCAA tournament in the first place. It’s a battle to win a single set once there. It’s harder to win an entire match. And it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to win the whole thing.

That obviously isn’t the case for Concordia-St. Paul. Over the past seven years, the Golden Bears have posted a 42-0 tournament record.

Think about that for a second. It’s no easy feat to post a ten-match winning streak during regular-season play. Concordia-St. Paul has won 42 consecutive matches during the most intense, pressure-ridden part of the season.

I would love to sit in on a practice and watch how the Golden Bears train. I would love to hang out with that team and see what their culture is all about. Because to win seven straight national titles, that team obviously has more than just volleyball figured out.

Credit: Conrad Schmidt/NCAA Photos

As a former player, I have a deep appreciation for the level of consistent performance, dedication, mental toughness, health and talent needed to succeed in postseason play.

I played for Iowa State University from 2008-11. We were a strong team and made it to the NCAA tournament each of my four seasons. In 2008, 2009 and 2011, we advanced to the regional finals, semifinals and finals (respectively). I don’t like to talk about what happened in 2010. (After a successful regular season, we were upset in the first round.)

Why? Because even for the most talented teams, it is hard to be that consistently good. Especially in the postseason when countless factors other than pure talent come into play.

I swear I am not a person who spins every story to focus back on myself, but I have a unique perspective that not everyone is privy to. I’ve felt the pressure in postseason play and seen how easy it is to crash and burn. Believe me when I say that the Golden Bears' accomplishment is nothing short of miraculous, and way more note-worthy than Washington’s victory over USC.

Random sidebar: I played high school volleyball with Concordia’s outside Erienne Lauersdorf. Go Goslings!

Four teams remain in the 2013 NCAA DI Volleyball Championships. Three of the teams (Texas, Penn State and Washington) aren’t too surprising. They’ve plowed through opponents all season and established themselves as top-5 mainstays. But that fourth team? I would venture that very few expected to see them in the national semifinals. In his first year at the helm, Head Coach Kelly Sheffield led the Wisconsin Badgers to not only their first NCAA tournament berth since 2007, but the Final Four. On Wisconsin!

Notable News: In my opinion, the most notable news of the weekend had nothing to do with DI volleyball (expect maybe the Badgers punching their Final Four ticket). Concordia-St. Paul won the NCAA DII Championship title. For the seventh consecutive season. They now hold the record for most consecutive titles at any level of NCAA volleyball. Unfortunately, the accomplishment was largely overshadowed by the DI tournament buzz.

Recap: I went six for eight in my regional semifinal selections, improving my season record to 76-52. Here’s a quick highlight reel from last weekend’s matches.

-Purdue upset No. 13 Illinois for a trip to the Elite Eight.

-Nebraska got past San Diego, but suffered a beat-down from No. 1 Texas.

-Wisconsin advanced to the national semifinals after beating Florida State and Purdue.

-No. 3 Washington dropped two sets to No. 6 USC before storming back to in an incredible five-set win.

- No. 2 Penn State blew through Utah, but it took the Nittany Lions all five sets to defeat No. 7 Stanford.

Final Four, here we come!

Texas vs. Wisconsin

Thursday, Dec. 19 (7:30 pm ET)

In this final-four matchup, we’ve got the defending national champions taking on the underdogs. Texas (27-2 overall, 16-0 in conference) maintained a top-five ranking throughout the season, while Wisconsin (27-9 overall, 12-8 in conference) started the season unranked but slowly climbed the polls.

In their first trip to the NCAA tournament, these Wisconsin players have demonstrated a level of composure and wherewithal I’d expect from tournament regulars. I think this facade of NCAA tournament experience stems from the fact that the Badgers have faced tournament caliber teams all season in their treacherous Big 10 schedule.

Led by the prodigious setting of Big Ten Freshman of the Year Lauren Carlini (below), the Badgers have crafted an offensive system that relies on significant contribution from every position, and it’s working. By strategically using middle hitters Dominique Thompson and Haleigh Nelson to draw blockers, the Badgers have morphed the 5’7” Deme Morales into a serious offensive threat. Morales has tabbed 377 kills on the season, good for second-best on the team behind fellow outside Ellen Chapman’s 490 kills.

Greg Anderson/UW Communications

And then there’s Texas. Where Wisconsin is undersized and scrappy, Texas is big and physical. Their squad features several key players from last season’s title run, including outsides Haley Eckerman and Bailey Webster, who lead the team in kills. Coming off a fluffy Big 12 schedule, I expected the Longhorns to take a few matches to warm-up in postseason play.

Contrary to my expectation, they’ve taken care of business and played with the poise of a team that thinks they are winning it all. I expected a battle between Texas and Nebraska in their Elite Eight match last Saturday, but the Longhorns made quick work of their former Big 12 rivals. That screwed up my bracket as I had predicted the Husker upset. Oops.

I love this Wisconsin squad. I think Carlini will put on a show and find ways to score with her system hitters despite the physicality of Texas’ block, but at the end of the night, the Badgers won’t be able to slow down Texas’ slew of offensive weapons.

My Pick: Texas in four.

Washington vs. Penn State

Thursday, December 19 (9:30 pm ET)

This matchup is the epitome of what one would hope for in a national semifinal bout. Penn State (32-2 overall, 19-1 in conference) hails from the Big Ten. Washington (30-2 overall, 18-2 in conference) competes in the Pac-12. Penn State is a tournament regular. Washington will be playing in front of their home crowd. Both teams had to battle quality opponents to earn their Final Four berths. The Nittany Lions and Huskies should both be raring and ready to go.

Everything the Huskies do well was showcased in their victory over USC last Saturday. They definitely put on a show from a volleyball-skills standpoint, but it was their tactical prowess, grit and willpower that gave them the edge. After dropping the first two sets, Washington stormed back and forced a deciding fifth set, which they won in extra points at 17-15.

Red Box Pictures

Krista Vansant(left) has continued to lead the Huskies during postseason play with her dominant offensive performances and leadership capabilities. She’s taken the team on her back and willed them to win throughout the course of the season. The Huskies run a 6-2 offense with setters Katy Bealsand Jenni Nogueras. Pin hitterKaleigh Nelson and middle hitter Lianna Sybeldon give Washington additional scoring options. While she isn’t a top scorer on the season, the offensive contribution of undersized outside Cassie Strickland has been key to the Huskies’ success thus far in the tournament.

Penn State also showed fortitude on their way to the Final Four. Stanford provided a formidable foe, but the Nittany Lions rose to the occasion. And that’s so typical of Penn State volleyball. They go hard all the time, they maintain a consistently elite level of play and they win matches. I think that confidence and poise paved the way to victory against Stanford. As they advance, I think Penn State has the experience, winning mentality and personnel needed to take down any team in the nation.

Like Washington, Penn State is also a strong serving team. Setter Micah Hancock is a deadly from the endline and throws a lot of teams into out-of-system chaos. The Nittany Lions have primary offensive options in pin hitters Ariel Scott and Deja McClendon, but the reality is that every Penn State attacker is capable of stealing the show. Middle Katie Slay is arguably the best in the nation at her position, while Nia Grant and Megan Courtney round out the scoring arsenal.

I think that Washington will cause Penn State serious headaches. The Huskies are known for their ability to fight back, and playing in front of their home crowd will assure they don’t go down without a battle. Ultimately, I think that Penn State’s experience in the tournament and win-no-matter-what mentality will boost them to victory.

My Pick: Penn State in five.

With these four elite teams duking it out for the title, we can expect an exciting conclusion to the 2013 NCAA Volleyball season. Tweet @debstadick and @AVCAVolleyball and let me know your thoughts on the matchups.

by Deb Stadick, Program Director, Badger Region Volleyball Association

This is Deb's first season as the chief women's volleyball blogger for the AVCA, and all season long she will do more than just give us the top matches to watch this week...she will predict the outcome. After playing at Iowa State University from 2008-2011, Stadick is now the Program Director for the Badger Region Volleyball Association.

After Thursday night's shocking upset and unexpected pummeling, our championship matchup is set. The Penn State Nittany Lions will face the Wisconsin Badgers in the final match of the 2013 NCAA Women’s DI Volleyball season.

Thursday night's semifinal matches drew a huge, energetic crowd, and Washington fans were out in full force to cheer on their home team. The opening match featured a Wisconsin upset over the No. 1-ranked Texas and had fans on their feet and rooting for the underdog. The second match was expected to be a battle between Penn State and Washington, but the Huskies struggled to find their rhythm and didn’t put up much of a fight.

That leaves us with an all Big Ten title match. Penn State bested Wisconsin in their previous two meetings this season, but the Badgers have (obviously) figured out how to win big matches. I could get into hitting percentages, key players and other random bits of analysis. But I won’t. Instead, I want to point out a few things that will make this match interesting.

Photo courtesy Wisconsin Athletics

1. Both teams play like winners.
2. Both teams keep the pressure on and don’t let up.
3. It’s going to be hard for the Nittany Lions to beat the Badgers three times in the same season.
4. Especially considering a national title is on the table in this third meeting.
5. Penn State is the best of the best..
6. Wisconsin has figured out how to beat the best of the best.
7. The Nittany Lions are probably the more talented squad from a volleyball ability standpoint.
8. The Badgers are a grittier team and play with a chip on their shoulders.

Despite Wisconsin’s awesome tournament run, Penn State has what it takes to win the title, but I will most definitely be rooting for the underdog. Because really, who doesn’t love a good Cinderella story?

My Pick: Penn State in four.

by Athletes Abroad

WEBSITE: athletesabroad.wordpress.com

Rachael Adams started playing volleyball during her freshman year in high school and took her career a step forward when signing for four years at the University of Texas in Austin to play volleyball for the Texas Longhorns. During her time there she made it to three Final Fours, a National Championship appearance, and became a Two-Time All-American.

After a successful collegiate career at Texas she ventured overseas for her first season abroad in Bydgoszcz, Poland, where she started her first blog, “My Scenic Route: Living in a City I Can’t Pronounce” After a successful first season she returned to America and set off to California to officially join the US Women’s National Volleyball Team as their newest member.

Following her summer of traveling the world, collecting stamps in her passport, and competing against other countries while representing the USA, she headed back to Poland for season number two where she is currently playing.

Geena Urango played four years on the University of Southern California Women’s Indoor Volleyball team during which they had two Final Four appearances. She then played on the first ever USC Women’s Sand Volleyball team for a fifth year while getting her Master’s and finished 5th at the AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball Championships.

After her career at USC, she went on to play for the USA High Performance Beach team. She traveled to the World University Games in China and the World University Championships in Brazil where she took 5th place. She has continued to play on the professional beach volleyball tour in the U.S.

Geena has also experienced the professional volleyball life overseas when living with her boyfriend, Max Holt (US Indoor Men’s Volleyball National Team Member), last year while he was playing in Piacenza, Italy. She is anxious to get overseas to be with him in Moscow, Russia, where he is currently playing.

Our Appreciation for Like-Minded Brains

It’s actually a funny story how Rachael and Geena met. They had played against each other during their junior club volleyball days, but they never formally introduced themselves. That is, until the invention of Twitter. After following each other and realizing through each other’s tweets just how much they had in common (aside from volleyball also being both right-brained and passionate about the digital marketing sphere) Rachael and Geena knew it was a match made in heaven!

Why did We Start Athletes Abroad?

The initial inspiration for Athletes Abroad all began a couple years ago. Rachael had just finished her collegiate career and wanted to go play overseas. But she had so many questions: What is the professional athlete life like? How do you even get over there? Who are you supposed to contact? How do you choose a country? What is the country like? Geena was going through a similar situation when deciding to go live with her boyfriend overseas while he played volleyball professionally. Is my situation normal? Are other significant others going through this? Am I the only person that can’t find peanut butter?

After going through their first year experiences blind-sided, Rachael and Geena connected again over a Direct Message on Twitter. Surprising? (They’re obsessed with social media if you can’t tell.) After picking each other’s minds they realized that they both had the same idea from their personal experiences living the expat life: create a virtual world for professional athletes, significant others and fans/supporters to connect. They found a niche: professional athletes playing overseas. They found something the niche was missing: collaboration and advice. Rachael and Geena wanted to make this community a great experience for everyone, thus they created Athletes Abroad!

Where do We See This Going?

Rachael and Geena see Athletes Abroad becoming a second home for professional athletes of all sports; a place where they can relate and help one another through both the good and the bad. They see Athletes Abroad becoming a main source of information and advice for younger athletes considering this opportunity and everyone else within the community. In addition, they see the site becoming a place for supporters and fans to connect with their favorite athletes in a more personal way. Overall, Rachael and Geena want this to be a welcoming community to any and all, WORLDWIDE!

The Response and How can you Help?

Thus far, the response has been nothing but positive. Athletes Abroad has already had multiple sport additions, and a ton of new athletes have joined the community as well. There have been veterans and Olympians who have reached out to Athletes Abroad and said they wish they had something like this when they were younger and still playing professionally. The support on Twitter has also been phenomenal. Everyone has been so willing to help and Rachael and Geena can’t be thankful enough.

If you want to contribute to the site, any and all are welcome! All you have to do is go to the “Contribute” tab on the Athletes Abroad site and Rachael and Geena will be in touch with you ASAP!

by Vinnie Lopes, editor of Off the Block that focuses on men's volleyball news and analysis. He will be blogging for us all season previewing and predicting the top matches each week. For continued updates and analysis of the men's game, visit his website at offtheblockblog.com and follow him on Twitter @offtheblock11 and @vinnielopes.

This is only the second week of the college men's volleyball season, but it almost has a postseason feel with all the marquee matches coming up this week.

Highlighting the non-conference slate of matches includes No. 7 UCLA playing No. 11 Penn State to open the Outrigger Invitational, while No. 8 Lewis travels to play No. 4 Stanford. In addition, No. 1 Long Beach State and No. 9 BYU will face each other in a rematch of last year's MPSF Tournament championship match.

Check out the what to know and the top five college men's volleyball matches from around the nation to follow this week.

TO KNOW

Yoder/USC Athletics

Player:Lucas Yoder, USC outside attacker
Yoder picked up three national awards this week -- Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week, Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Freshman of the Week and MPSF Player of the Week -- after having a match-high 16 kills in his college debut to help USC beat then-No. 7 Loyola on Saturday. USC will open its conference season against UC San Diego on Friday.

Coach: David Hunt, Pepperdine assistant coach
Pepperdine announced earlier this week that David Hunt would return to the Waves' sidelines for the upcoming season. Hunt left Pepperdine in the summer on a brief hiatus to serve as an assistant coach to the Japanese Men's National Team

Stat: Midwest beating the West Coast
Teams from the MIVA were a combined 4-3 against the powerhouse MPSF to open the college men's volleyball season last week. The MIVA and MPSF will play six non-conference matches against each other this week.

THE GAMES

Stanford Athletics

1. No. 4 Stanford (1-0, 0-0 MPSF) vs. No. 8 Lewis (1-1, 0-0 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. Friday in Palo Alto, Calif.
What to know: It's early in the college men's volleyball season, but Stanford and Lewis will play each other in a non-conference match that could have significant NCAA Tournament implications later in the season. Both Stanford and Lewis have aspirations of reaching the newly expanded six-team NCAA Tournament and have already picked up signature non-conference victories so far this season. Stanford in its season opener defeated then-No. 2 UCLA in four games at the UC Santa Barbara Invitational on Saturday. The Cardinal in the victory finished with a .500 attack percentage and had four players with double-digit kills -- including Preseason All-American outside attacker Brian Cook (inset) who had a match-high 16 kills. Lewis after opening its season with a home loss to then-No. 1 UC Irvine proceeded to upset then-No. 3 BYU in a home non-conference match Saturday. Outside attacker Greg Petty in the two non-conference matches led Lewis with a combined 29 kills.

My pick: Stanford def. Lewis in five games

2. No. 1 Long Beach State (1-0, 0-0 MPSF vs. No. 9 BYU (0-2, 0-0 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. Saturday in Provo, Utah
What to know: For the first time since meeting in the 2013 MPSF Tournament championship match, Long Beach State and BYU will face each other. Both teams enter this conference championship rematch having near polar opposite starts to the season. Long Beach State went undefeated at the UC Santa Barbara Invitational last weekend, including a four-game victory against Harvard in the championship match to capture the school's first title at the non-conference tournament since 2006. In addition, the 49ers earned their first No. 1 ranking in the AVCA national coaches poll in more than 20 years. The defending MPSF champions BYU opened its season losing both of its matches to Loyola and Lewis during its Midwest road trip. This is the second time in a decade that the Cougars have opened a season 0-2.

LBSU's Dalton Ammerman/LBSU Athletics

My pick: Long Beach State def. BYU in five games

3. No. 7 UCLA (1-0, 0-0 MPSF) vs. No. 11 Penn State (0-0, 0-0)
Match vitals: 5 p.m. Thursday in Honolulu
What to know: There could not be a more fitting way for Penn State to open its 2014 season than by playing UCLA. In a season that marks the 20-year anniversary Penn State defeating UCLA in the 1994 NCAA finals to become the first non-West Coast team to win a national title, the two teams will meet to open the Outrigger Invitational. Penn State enters the non-conference tournament in Hawaii after ending last season winning its 15th consecutive EIVA title and reaching the NCAA Tournament semifinals. Outside attacker Aaron Russell, the 2013 co-EIVA Player of the Year, is among the majority of starters returning to the Nittany Lions from last year's team. UCLA has won the last three Outrigger Invitational championships and has a record eight titles in the non-conference tournament's 20-year history.

My pick: Penn State def. UCLA in five games

4. UC Irvine (2-1, 0-0 MPSF) vs. Pepperdine (0-0, 0-0 MPSF)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. Friday in Malibu, Calif.
What to know: Two teams with some of the top middle attackers in the MPSF will go up against each other as UC Irvine travels to Pepperdine in its conference opener. Middle attackers Scott Kevorken and Collin Mehring in UC Irvine's season opening Midwest road trip last week both led the Anteaters in blocks. Mehring also had a match-high five blocks in a sweep against Ball State to help UC Irvine end the road trip 2-1. Pepperdine finished last season in the nation's top five in blocks per game average. In addition, middle attacker Parker Kalmbach was among the national leaders with a 1.23 blocks per game average. This will also be Pepperdine's season opener after going 2-2 in exhibition matches against Canadian schools during the last two weeks.

My pick: UC Irvine def. Pepperdine four games

5. Pacific (1-0, 0-0 MPSF) vs. Grand Canyon (0-0, 0-0 MIVA)
Match vitals: 7 p.m. Friday in Stockton, Calif.
What to know: Few teams had more positive momentum entering the off-season last year than the Antelopes. Grand Canyon will play Pacific in its season opener after ending last year winning its first postseason match and having its first winning record in program history. The team also returns a majority of starters who helped upset Ohio State in the MIVA Tournament. In addition, outside attacker Ben Ponnet was a Preseason All-MIVA selection as Grand Canyon was picked in the conference's preseason coaches poll to finish in the top four of the MIVA. Pacific is beginning its final season in program history after the school announced in October that it would drop men's volleyball to finance a new university strategic initiative. The Tigers opened their season last weekend with a victory against Cal State Northridge at the UC Santa Barbara Invitational.

My pick: Grand Canyon def. Pacific in five games

It's all about the rematch in college men's volleyball.

Among the top matches this weekend includes No. 1 Stanford playing No. 6 UCLA just weeks after meeting at the UC Santa Barbara Invitational. In addition, No. 8 BYU and No. 7 UC Irvine will play each other for the first time since their meeting in the 2013 NCAA finals.

Check out the top five college men's volleyball matches to follow this weekend and the predictions on who wins each match.

This week's guest picker is CJ Allard. Allard is the play-by-play announcer on WCRD for Ball State men's volleyball matches and was a 2013 finalist for the AVCA Grant Burger Media Award.

Daily Bruin

No. 1 Stanford (3-0, 0-0 MPSF) vs. No. 6 UCLA (3-1, 0-0 MPSF)

Match vitals;3 p.m. Friday in Los Angeles.

What to know: Two weeks after playing their season opener against each other at the UC Santa Barbara Invitational, Stanford and UCLA will now meet again, but this time in their conference opener. Stanford in that non-conference tournament match had a season-high .500 attack percentage to defeat UCLA in four games. However, both teams enter the MPSF season after a successful weekend in non-conference play last weekend. Stanford had a season-high 14 aces in a four-game victory against then-No. 8 Lewis on Saturday. The Cardinal also climbed to the No. 1 ranking in the latest AVCA coaches poll -- the team's first time atop the national poll in almost two years. UCLA went undefeated at the Outrigger Invitational last weekend to win the non-conference tournament for the fourth consecutive season. In addition, outside attacker Robart Page had a tournament-best 51 combined kills in the Bruins' three matches to be named the Outrigger Invitational Most Outstanding Player and the Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week.

THE PICKS

Vinnie Lopes, Off the Block: Stanford def. UCLA in five games

CJ Allard, WCRD: UCLA has only lost one match this young 2013-2014 season – at the hands of the stout Stanford Cardinal squad. Getting an early rematch, this time in LA, should benefit the Bruins. UCLA 3, Stanford 2

No. 7 UC Irvine (2-3, 0-2 MPSF) vs. No. 8 BYU (2-2, 2-0 MPSF)

Match vitals:7 p.m. Friday in Irvine, Calif.

What to know: If the BYU players needed any more motivation for its rematch of 2013 NCAA finals against UC Irvine, they will only need to look up to the Bren Center rafters. The UC Irvine athletics department announced earlier this week that it will unveil the school's 2013 NCAA championship banner on Thursday -- less than 24 hours before its home match against BYU. UC Irvine enters on a two-match losing streak, including a five-game loss to USC on Tuesday. BYU, following a 0-2 start to the season, won its two conference home matches last weekend, including a four-game victory against then-No. 1 Long Beach State. In addition, AVCA All-American outside attacker Taylor Sander had a match-high 24 kills in the victory against the 49ers.

BYUCougars.com

THE PICKS

VL: BYU def. UC Irvine in four games

CJA: Irvine finally gets to play at home for the first time all season, but Taylor Sander and the BYU Cougars (2-2) are undefeated this year against west-coast teams. BYU steals the road victory and puts UC Irvine below .500 with a 3-1 victory.

No. 10 Hawai'i (2-1, 0-0 MPSF) vs. No. 4 Long Beach State (2-1, 1-0 MPSF)

Match vitals:7 p.m. Thursday and Friday in Honolulu

What to know: No one more than Hawai'i wants to wreck the homecoming of Long Beach State outside attacker Taylor Crabb than Hawai'i. The senior outside attacker and 2013 AVCA National Player of the Year will return to his home state as the 49ers and Rainbow Warriors open a two-match conference series Thursday. Crabb -- who won two high school state championships and was inducted into the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Foundation Hall of Honor -- had a team-high 22 kills in Long Beach State's four-game loss to BYU on Saturday. In addition, the last time Crabb returned home to play Hawai'i was as a sophomore in 2012 and he had 20 kills in the match. Hawai'i enters this series after finishing in second place at the Outrigger Invitational during the weekend. Outside attacker Sinisa Zarkovic led the Rainbow Warriors in kills for two-of-three matches at their home tournament and was named to the All-Tournament Team.

THE PICKS

VL: Hawai'i def. Long Beach State in five games

CJA: These two teams have met 74 times with each team winning 37 matches against one another. Although LBSU has won the last four matches, Hawai’i has a huge advantage playing at home and thus, should squeak out a 3-2 win.

Penn State Athletics

No. 12 Penn State (1-2, 0-0 EIVA) vs. No. 14 IPFW (2-0, 0-0 MIVA)

Match vitals:7 p.m. Friday in University Park, Pa.

What to know: For a team that has not won on the road at Penn State in almost 15 years, IPFW has plenty of reasons to feel confident heading into its non-conference match against the Nittany Lions. The Mastodons have their highest ranking in the AVCA coaches poll in five years after defeating then-No. 15 Cal Baptist and Sacred Heart to open their season. In addition, all-conference outside attacker Eddie Rivera had a match-high 13 kills in the victory against Sacred Heart on Friday and was named the MIVA Offensive Player of the Week. Penn State swept Ohio State in its final match at the Outrigger Invitational to finish the tournament 1-2. Outside attacker Nick Goodell in the victory had a match-high 13 kills and was selected to the All-Tournament Team. This will also be the first meeting between IPFW and Penn State since the Mastodons upset the Nittany Lions in five games last season in Fort Wayne, Ind.

THE PICKS

VL: Penn State def. IPFW in five games

CJA: IPFW is much improved this year and the return of so many key players from last season has proven helpful already in 2014, but playing at Penn State won’t be easy. PSU sweeps IPFW 3-0.

No. 2 Loyola-Chicago (2-1, 0-0 MIVA) vs. Mount Olive (0-0, 0-0 Conference Carolinas)

Match vitals:7 p.m. Saturday in Chicago

What to know: In what could be a preview of a NCAA Tournament match later this season, Mount Olive will travel to the Midwest to play the defending MIVA champions Loyola. The Ramblers resume their season-opening homestand following a bye week. Loyola to open its season upset BYU and UC Irvine and jumped to No. 2 in the latest coaches poll -- its highest coaches poll ranking in school history. Mount Olive was picked as the favorite to win the Conference Carolinas in the conference's preseason coaches poll that was released earlier this week. The Trojans also return a majority of starters from last year's team that won the Conference Carolinas regular season championship but was upset in the conference tournament semifinals.

LoyolaRamblers.com

THE PICKS

VL: Loyola def. Mount Olive in three games

CJA: The Trojans may have been picked to finish 1st in the Conference Carolinas, but playing on the road at Loyola will prove that the top of the MIVA > the top of CC. Ramblers easily defeat Mount Olive, 3-0.

Guest picker's match to watch: George Mason (0-0, 0-0 EIVA) vs Ohio State (0-3, 0-0 MIVA)

VL: Ohio State def. George Mason in four games

CJA: After an incredibly tough start to the year going 0-3 at the Outrigger Invitational in Honolulu, the Buckeyes finally get to play at home, but don’t expect George Mason to feel bad about Ohio State’s winless start. The Patriots’ first match of the season will be a road upset victory. George Mason 3, Ohio State 1.

Vince Ruhumuliza/Athletes Abroad

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Vince Ruhumuliza reached out to Athletes Abroad on Twitter just a day after our launch and told us about how he has been trying to help improve the quality of volleyball in Rwanda. We could instantly tell he is very passionate about what he is doing; a humble guy with good intentions. Being an athlete himself, we could relate and were inspired to help and take action. We believe it’s both important and rewarding for athletes to go beyond the sport itself. To give back and see athletes helping athletes is something we are striving to do and encourage others to do as well. We are so excited to work with Vince and display his cause! Read his story and learn more about how you can help reach his goal for Rwanda.

We even learned via his Volleyball 4 Rwanda account that Volleywood did a write up about him and his project.

Describe who you are and a little about your beach volleyball career

My name is Vincent Ruhumuliza, I am a lower level beach volleyball professional. I have been playing beach volleyball since I was 13, growing up in Michigan along Lake Michigan. It has been a passion of mine since my first tournament.

I have played in a lot of volleyball tournaments all over Florida, from the big sponsored tournaments in Fort Lauderdale and Clearwater, to the small off season tournaments run by my friends on St. Pete Beach. This sport of beach volleyball is truly a lifestyle, I would say would be the most similar to the surfing lifestyle, and I absolutely live for it and love it.

What is Volleyball for Rwanda?

Volleyball for Rwanda is my project I have decided to tackle here in the country of Rwanda. My overall goal is to build an Olympic level volleyball venue, both indoor and my favorite, beach volleyball; it will also be connected to a wellness center for sports rehab and other health related things.

My idea is to make Rwanda known on an international scale for something other than the horrific 1994 Genocide. Rwandans are very proud and incredibly athletic, so the sport of volleyball is a perfect fit for this country.

Why Rwanda?

My grandparents

I am half Rwandan, kind of the definition of African American actually. My dad grew up in a small village or town called Gitwe, where he persevered in studies to pursue health studies. My mom, small town Michigan girl, actually visited Rwanda for a missionary trip thirty plus years ago as a nurse, and on that trip she met my dad, and a few months later they were married, in Rwanda with a marriage certificate in French.

So that brings me the present, my parents have been here in Rwanda for a little over two years now, working with health organizations. My mom is working with the Clinton Foundations globalized health care, and my dad, native to Rwanda, is the Advisor to the Director of Nursing for two major hospitals in Kigali, the capitol of Rwanda.

Having both my parents here in Africa gave me the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone in Florida and try something new, and it also gives me the chance to travel to new places and get that amazing rush of travel and going some places I might never ever get a chance to see again later in life. Also, it gives me a chance to connect with family members that would maybe never get a chance to travel to the US, like my cousins and more importantly my dad’s parents, my grandparents.

Where does beach volleyball in Rwanda stand now?

The "beach" volleyball court

Beach volleyball in Rwanda is pretty much nonexistent, and that truly hurts to say out loud. There is an interesting lack of understanding of the sport of beach volleyball. The first time I went in to a meeting to talk about building a beach volleyball court, I was looked at like I had something on my face. This boggled my mind because Rwanda has a pretty organized and talented indoor national volleyball team. It is a common thought here that if you don’t have an actual beach, with water and sand, that you can’t have a beach volleyball court. I am here to change that, I am working on importing truck loads of sand and developing a court in the capitol to have an example of the standard of a beach volleyball court, as well as an example to show the Ministry of Sports, so I can move on and hope for help with funding.

What is your vision?

My vision for Volleyball for Rwanda is to help bring this sport to the forefront of recognition when it comes to sports in this region and continent of Africa. I will teach the youth the proper rules and way to play volleyball and show that it can be a tool to travel and get out of the country of Rwanda as an athlete. The day I see Rwanda in the Olympics for volleyball and know that I had a hand in producing that success, I will be on cloud nine.

How can we and others help?

In all seriousness any and all help is welcome, I would love to receive nets, volleyballs, any donations, and for the word to spread what is happening in this part of the world focusing on volleyball.

If any university or group would like to travel and help with the building of the facility and/or youth clinics, I would be more than happy to organize and make that happen. I have already contacted a couple small universities that have programs for work mission trips about getting a group of young adults to come and visit and experience Rwanda and help out with my project, as soon as winter 2014.

Any kind of fund raising events or volleyball tournaments in the States would be amazing as well, which is hard to organized being half a world away, but I would be willing to help in any way that I could.

Really, all I want in the end is for people to acknowledge that there are athletes doing amazing things all over the world, and it should be recognized.

Follow me on Twitter at @VBforRwanda
Find me on FacebookVolleyball for Rwanda
Email me at viruhumuliza@yahoo.com
or volleyballforrwanda@gmail.com
Read my blog volleyballforrwanda.blogspot.com/Website coming soon!

by Meggie Gradel, AVCA Intern

State tournaments have come to a close. Whether triumphantly or tragically, the high school season is over and off-season is finally upon us. For many players, club season awaits, while others may have just played their last match. Either way, it is important to maintain your motivation to better yourself as a player with every day, even in your time off.

The time after state tournaments often feels surreal, and the most surreal part, however, is realizing that for the next few weeks or months you do not have a life consumed by volleyball. Free time – what is that?! Only bringing one backpack to school, and not packing a surplus of pre-practice snacks? This is crazy! For the first time in months, your life is your own. Time management has suddenly become much easier, and you find out that your school actually uses the gym for purposes other than volleyball. Embrace this time while it lasts, and cherish every opportunity you have to do things you won’t have time for in a few short weeks. However, I know that by the second week of off time, I was often lost without volleyball. I did not know what to do with so much time, and I missed playing the sport that I loved.

Off-season Volleyball Training

Regardless of if a season ended on a high note or in heartbreak, and you often find yourself looking back and repeating plays in your head, or reliving the happier moments. It is important to remember not to dwell on the negatives that may have occurred, but focus on the positives. You never want to regret something you love to do, and one bad experience should not define your playing career. For seniors, this can be hard to come to terms with, since you do not have another year to do it again. However, it is no use to focus on the past. Instead, it is time to look forward to your club season and how you can do better there. Many players feel the same – they are ready for their club seasons to begin, and ready to prepare for many more tournament championships.

Players work hard in off season

Club season is just as competitive and important as the high school season, and the same amount of hard work and dedication is essential. While it is not always obvious, club and high school seasons are completely different worlds. Team practices have switched from every day to two or three times per week, and there are usually multiple teams in your age group. In some ways, it is even more competitive because players from all over can play on one team. Positions are always available to those who earn them, and your high school career can sometimes be meaningless in the world of club sports. This is cause to work even harder in your off-season, because in volleyball, there is really no such thing as an "off-season." Almost directly after one season is finished, the training begins for another season. Some may see this as crazy, but we call it passion.

There is No Off Season

Still, it can be easy to lose motivation or drive during this off time, but there are many ways to avoid this. No matter what, everyone should take some time off after state. You have worked so hard for so long, and everyone deserves a little bit of a break. Trust me; your body will thank you later for doing so. Once you recover from the craziness of your season ending, create a daily schedule or just a new routine to help expel that post-state boredom, and keep your time management skills at their peak as well. Another way to stay prepared for club season is to make a workout schedule for yourself. This is a great way to stay in shape and get an edge on those who prefer their couches to the gym.

Especially if players have tryouts coming up, there are numerous ways to stand out to coaches in order to make the best team possible. Aside from having talent and skills, heart, positivity, and teamwork are a great way to get noticed. I learned early on that coaches often will choose players who are not the all-stars, but have potential and a lot of heart and hard work. These qualities do not go unnoticed, and can be one of the best tools to use to get noticed. Players who are loud, encouraging, and excited to play every point are the ones who coaches want as their players, because they are the ones who will help win tournaments. It can be easy for a talented, but quiet player to get lost in the crowd or go unnoticed, simply because she lacks the “vocal factor”.

This is something that can be done so easily, that every player should not have a problem using their loudness to their advantage. In the same respect, there are also ways to be noticed in a negative way. A “what not to do” of tryouts and club season in general would include negative attitudes, bad sportsmanship, and laziness. These attributes are a sure way to get recognized as a player they do not want on their team. Luckily, these qualities can be rid of and corrected, giving every player the opportunity to be the best possible, and have the best tryout they can.

No matter what, remember that the off-season is also a time to relax have fun. High school and club are over in the blink of an eye, and you want to enjoy the time with your teammates and playing this sport. Although playing to win is always a factor, it is easier to love the sport when you are having fun, and play better at the same time.

Highlighting this weekend's matches includes No. 1 Pepperdine trying to remain undefeated as it travels to play No. 5 Long Beach State. In addition, No. 7 BYU and No. 6 Stanford will play each other big early-season conference match.

Check out the top five college men's volleyball matches to follow this weekend and what to know about these matches.

TO KNOW

Daily Bruin

Player:Robert Page (left), UCLA outside attacker -- Page had a match-high 15 kills as UCLA swept UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday in conference play. The senior has led Bruins in kills for every match during their nation-best six match winning streak.

Coach: Kris Dorn, Lindenwood -- Dorn earned his first victory as a NCAA Division I-II men's volleyball head coach as Lindenwood defeated NJIT in four games during the weekend. This is Dorn's the first season at Lindenwood and arrived to school after coaching at Clarke University.

Stat: Four teams -- BYU, Long Beach State, Stanford and now Pepperdine -- have held the No. 1 ranking in the first four AVCA national coaches poll to open the season. That early season feat had never been accomplished since the AVCA coaches poll started in 1986.

THE MATCHES

1. No. 1 Pepperdine (4-0, 4-0 MPSF) vs. No. 5 Long Beach State (3-3, 2-3 MPSF)

Pepperdine Athletics

Match vitals: 7 p.m. Friday in Long Beach, Calif.

What to know: Pepperdine after earning the No. 1 ranking in the AVCA coaches poll for the first

time in four years will now try to get an early-season road conference victory against Long Beach State. The Waves through the first three weeks of the season have two players among the MPSF leaders in kills. Outside attacker Josh Taylor entered this week leading the nation with a 5.00 kills per game average, while opposite Parker Kalmbach(right) is in the MPSF's top 15 with a 3.73 kills per game average and was named the AVCA/Sports Imports National Player of the Week on Tuesday. In addition, Pepperdine is the only remaining undefeated team in the nation among college men's volleyball teams who have started their seasons. Long Beach State continues its homestand after a three-game loss to USC on Wednesday. The 49ers in the loss were held to a season-low .188 attack percentage.

Prediction: Pepperdine def. Long Beach State in five games

No. 7 BYU (4-2, 4-0 MPSF) vs. No. 6 Stanford (3-2, 0-2 MPSF)

Match vitals: 7 p.m. Friday in Provo, Utah

What to know: BYU has one of the best home-court advantages in the nation, but it's had little affect on Stanford in recent years. The Cardinal entering its road match against the Cougars are 4-3 at Smith Fieldhouse since 2008. Stanford, though, is on a two-match losing streak after losing to both UCLA and UC Santa Barbara in five games during the weekend. BYU is on a four-match winning streak, including a five-game road victory against UC Irvine last week. In addition, All-American outside attacker Taylor Sander had a career-high nine aces in a sweep against UC San Diego on Saturday. Sander also started this week as the only player in the nation with more than 100 kills throughout the first three weeks of the season.

Prediction: BYU def. Stanford in five games

USC Athletics

No. 4 USC (4-1, 3-1 MPSF) vs. Cal State Northridge (1-3, 1-2 MPSF)

Match vitals: 7 p.m. Friday in Northridge, Calif.

What to know: It's still early in the season, but USC outside attacker Lucas Yoder(right) continues to make his case for the AVCA Newcomer of the Year. Yoder has led the Trojans in kills in every match so far this season and is in the conference's top five with a 4.12 kills per game average. In addition, Yoder has won two of the first three Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Freshman of the Week as the Trojans have won four of their last five matches. Cal State Northridge will play USC after almost upsetting Pepperdine on Wednesday. Freshman outside attacker Damani Lenore in the five-game loss to the Waves had a career-high 28 kills.

Prediction: USC def. Cal State Northridge in four games

Loyola-Chicago Athletics

No. 2 Loyola (4-1, 0-0 MIVA) vs. Harvard (0-1, 0-0 EIVA)

Match vitals: 3 p.m. Saturday in Cambridge, Mass.

What to know: Two teams with some of the best non-conference starts to the season will now meet each other in a non-conference match. Loyola concluded its season-opening homestand at 4-1, including upsetting then-No. 1 UC Irvine and then-No. 3 BYU. In addition, Loyola set a school single-match record with a .679 attack percentage in a sweep against Mount Olive on Saturday. Middle attacker Nick Olson (left) was also named the MIVA Defensive Player of the Week after having a combined 13 blocks in the team's non-conference victories against Erskine and Mount Olive during the weekend. Harvard opened its season reaching the championship match of the UC Santa Barbara Invitational before losing to Long Beach State in four games. All-EIVA Outside attacker DJ White in that championship loss finished with a team-high 14 kills.

Prediction: Loyola def. Harvard in four games

Mount Olive (1-2, 1-0 CC) vs. Limestone (4-1, 2-0 CC)

Match vitals: 7 p.m. Friday in Mount Olive, N.C.

What to know: The two front-runners for the Conference Carolinas' inaugural automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament will meet in an early-season conference match. Mount Olive returns a majority of starters from last year's team that won the Conference Carolinas regular season championship. The team was also picked to win the conference in the Conference Carolinas preseason coaches poll. The Trojans, though, opened their season with losses to Loyola and Lewis during a Midwest road trip last week. Limestone remained undefeated in conference play, including a sweep against Pfeiffer on Tuesday. In addition, middle attacker Joel Muhlbach was an honorable mention selection for the Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Freshman of the Week after having a match-high 10 blocks in a non-conference victory against Coker last week.

Prediction: Mount Olive def. Limestone in five games.

by Diane Copenhagen/Athletes Abroad

Four months ago I boarded a plane headed for China without knowing what to expect. I found out the night before I was going abroad that Facebook didn’t work in China! How was I going to survive?? As I boarded the plane bound for new adventures, I had no idea what I was really getting myself into. Now looking back, I wish I had known a little more about China and how the overseas life works. So hopefully this will help all of you who are thinking about playing in China, are headed to play in China, or just interested in what it is like.

Tryout: China will have been my 6th season abroad. I would like to consider myself a seasoned veteran at this point, which is why I was shocked that I would have to go to China for a tryout. Of course the thoughts of, “what if they don’t think I am good enough” or “what happens if I don’t make the team” were going through my head when I first arrived, but I am a strong believer in everything happens for a reason so there was nothing to loose. Come to find out, tryouts are actually quite common in China. There are many players who come early for a tryout before signing the contract. So don’t worry if you have a tryout. Yes you still need to play your best, but just know it is normal for the Chinese league.

Visa: When applying for a visa for China, know that they are fairly strict. It took me 3-4 trips to receive mine from San Francisco. First, they don’t let you send it in my mail. So if you are not near a Chinese Consulate, you will either have to go to one, or use a service. You also need an invitation letter from the club with the dates that you will be staying in China for, the name, address, and phone number of the person inviting you, and a flight. I applied for an ‘M’ visa which I believe was a business visa. The visas take about 4 days to get. The biggest problem is just making sure that you have all the paperwork.

Volleyball: In China, volleyball is a huge part of your life. Unlike in certain European countries where you enjoy the quaint details of the simple life, here if you aren’t in the gym you are sleeping or eating. The season starts, or at least did for me, the last weekend in November and lasts 2-4 months depending. It is 2 pools of 6 teams. You play each team home and away in a matter of 5 1/2 weeks. You have 2 matches per week with a lot of travel. After those 10 matches are finished (around January 5th), the top 4 teams combine with the top 4 teams of the other pool and form a pool of 8.

Within these 8 teams, you only play the 4 teams from the other pool, but not the 3 that you have already played. The second pool finishes February 15th. From then, the top 2 teams play in the finals and 3 &4 for the semi-final which finishes in March. For the 4 teams that did not make the second pool, they play 4 matches against the 2 teams they had not played yet and finish on January 23rd. I know its confusing, but bottom line is there is a lot of volleyball in a very short amount of time. As far as training goes, be prepared for double days and very few days off. I have been here almost 3 months and just had my first day off since the season started. The training here is pretty crazy. Its not the same mentality in the States, where you get fewer reps but good ones. Here it is quantity over quality. Practices were usually 2.5-3 hours. The girls are also usually very young, so a lot of the time the coach makes them do more than the “older” players.

Ball control is usually very good which allows for a quick offense. Mainly speed over power. It is a lot of work, and very physically and mentally taxing. The constant repetition with little recovery time both mentally and physically makes it a challenge. I am speaking for my club, because I know others a different. The good news is it is a short season, but there is a reason. You wouldn’t be able to put up the the grueling regiment for much longer. As far as clothing goes, the Chinese league is sponsored by 361, a Chinese clothing line. They give you more than enough as far as shoes, suitcase, coat, sweater vest and playing gear. The only downside is you have to wear all their gear, including the shoes. Its not bad, but coming from someone who enjoys playing in comfortable shoes, it was a nuisance at first.

Food: The occasional sweet and sour pork, orange chicken, and broccoli and beef, were always a tasty treat. But now imagine having that and rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Not to mention its cafeteria styler served up on a lazy susan. The food here is a challenge. Unlike all the fresh fruits and vegetables that you can find in Europe and other place, China cooks, fries, and boils everything. Don’t worry they do have fresh fruit, but you just need to make sure you clean it really well. Being an athlete and knowing the foods and nutrients necessary to perform at our best, it was hard to find foods that would fit in to this category. You can only eat rice and eggs for so long.

I lived in a hotel, as did most of the girls over here, so there was no possibility for me to cook. Like I said we had a cafeteria that was ok for a while, but you got sick of the same food. The Chinese are very adventurous with their meats, so don’t be surprised to see chicken feet, pig’s feet, chicken liver, beef fat, and some tongue. The hardest part is that since everything is cooked and has some sauce on it, it is hard to really know what you are eating. For example I ate some chicken, to later find out it was rabbit. The food also tends to be on the spicy side, so be prepared.

Not all of the food is bad in China. They have so good soups, dumplings, and buns. They like their pork, so when in doubt assume thats what you are eating. Don’t get too excited for pancakes or croissants for breakfast, they have fried and hard boiled eggs, bread, noodles, rice porridge, and usually some rice. But there is usually some type of bakery that will have break and other goodies if need be. Just be prepared and bring your own food when you go to China. I was lucky to go home after I had already been in China 2 weeks and brought a whole suitcase of food. They do have Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Mc Donalds, Burger King, Subway, and KFC , so you won’t starve. But unlike the food in France and Italy, China doesn’t even come close to comparing.

Travel: China is an extremely large country and the teams are spread out, so travel is fairly frequent. Most of the time you fly, but occasionally you will take a train or bus. The hotels are usually not much. The hardest part with the travel has been the internet. We are spoiled in the U.S. with wifi in most places, but in China it is few and far between. A lot of the hotels will have ethernet cables, so bring a router when you travel. Wifi is sometimes offered in the lobbies, but don’t count on it. Also beware of the smog. I was fortunate to be in the southern part of China where the smog isn’t as bad, but if you go into the big cities such as Shanghai or Beijing I would consider getting a mask. May not look fashionable but its the cool thing to do in China. It also gets rather cold in China and will even snow in the northern parts. Be prepared for some chilly weather, but the clubs will provide necessary clothing. Also they don’t believe in heating the gyms, so be ready to practice in some very cold weather.

Etiquette: My mom always said that she should have sent me to finishing school, but after 4 months in China, I like to think that I have very good manners. Compared to most places, the Chinese have a very different idea of etiquette. One where burping, farting, spitting, is acceptable at any time and any place. Don’t be shocked to see someone cough or sneeze without covering their mouths. Get used to the sound of hock-a-loogies because the happen everywhere and often. Smoking is accepted, even in elevators that have signs not to. People dropping their trousers and relieving themselves doesn’t just happen in the bathrooms or behind closed doors. Be ready to practice your aim because most toliets are holes that you squat over, which I refer to as “squatty potties”. When eating, it is not uncommon to spit the bones on the plates or tables. People tend to stare. Mainly because we are tall and stick out, but here they don’t try and hide it. They do have their cultural differences and when it comes to manners they are very different from what I am used to.

Life: Life in China is a challenge. It is very “doable” but it is a challenge. Make sure you get a VPN. That will allow you to redirect your IP address so the internet thinks you are somewhere else other than China. That will allow you to access Facebook, Twitter, and other sites that will keep you from going crazy. Be careful of mopeds. They are everywhere and do whatever they want. They will honk at you and almost hit you and not even blink. Not many people speak English so it is very hard to communicate. I have a translator, but she is not with me 24/7, so make sure your charades skills are up to par and don’t be surprised when they speak back to you in Chinese like you understand. Take business cards from all the hotels, restaurants, and places you like and want to visit or of where you are staying. Its the easiest way to get around. Just show the taxi driver the card and your chances are good.

China is not like the U.S. in many ways, but I have come to appreciate it for what it is. Yes there were things that drove me up the wall, but like with every culture there are things you simply don’t understand. So hopefully this helps shed some light on what to expect if you ever get the opportunity to play in China.

Several top-15 nationally ranked teams will play each other this weekend highlighted with No. 3 Pepperdine playing host to No. 4 BYU. In addition, No. 1 Loyola will begin conference play with a home match against No. 15 Ohio State.

Check out what to know and the predictions top college men's volleyball matches to follow this weekend

TO KNOW

Player: Greg Petty (left), Lewis outside attacker -- Petty had 14 kills and a career-high .706 attack percentage in a victory against Sacred Heart last week. Petty was also named the Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week on Tuesday.

Coach: Pete Hansn, Ohio State -- Ohio State swept Lindenwood on Saturday for Hanson's 250th career MIVA victory. Hanson is in his 30th season as the Buckeyes' head coach.

Stat: Loyola and UCLA finished tied for No. 1 in the latest AVCA national coaches poll released Monday. However, only once in the last 10 years has two teams tied for No. 1 in the coaches poll remained tied for the top spot the following week.

THE GAMES AND PICKS

No. 3 Pepperdine (4-1, 4-1 MPSF) vs. No. 4 BYU (6-2, 6-0 MPSF)

Match vitals: 7 p.m. Friday in Provo, Utah

What to know: One of the top offensive teams in the nation will go up against one of the top defensive teams in the nation as Pepperdine plays host to BYU in a battle between two top-five nationally ranked teams. BYU begins its weekend road trip on a six-match winning streak and one of five teams in the MPSF averaging better than a .300 attack percentage for the season. In addition, AVCA All-American BYU outside attacker Taylor Sander(right) is second in the nation with 19 aces and is in the MPSF's top five averaging 4.55 kills per game. The Waves lead the nation with a 3.52 blocks per game average. Five Pepperdine players are among the top 15 MPSF leaders for blocks per game average, including middle attacker Nikola Antonijevic who leads the conference with a 1.60 blocks per game average. Pepperdine also set a school single-match record with 71 digs in a five-game loss to Long Beach State last week -- the Waves' first loss of the season.

Prediction: Pepperdine def. BYU in five games

No. 6 Long Beach State (4-3, 3-3 MPSF) vs. No. 7 Stanford (4-3, 1-3 MPSF)

Match vitals: 7 p.m. Friday in Palo Alto, Calif.

What to know: Stanford and Long Beach State aren't in panic mode yet, but both teams need a big early-season conference victory to get back into the MPSF title race. Each team enters this weekend already having three conference losses. Stanford snapped its three-match conference losing streak with a victory against Cal Baptist on Saturday. In addition, the Cardinal is leading the MPSF with a .336 attack percentage, and setter James Shaw (below) is among the conference leaders averaging 10.96 assists per game. Long Beach State in its last conference match upset then-No. 1 Pepperdine to improve to .500 conference play. Outside attacker Taylor Crabb leads the 49ers and is second in the MPSF with a 4.63 kills per game average. This will also be the first meeting between Long Beach State and Stanford since the 49ers beat the Cardinal in the MPSF Tournament quarterfinals last season.

Prediction: Stanford def. Long Beach State in five games

No. 1 Loyola (6-1, 0-0 MIVA) vs. No. 15 Ohio State (4-3, 2-0 MIVA)

Match vitals: 4 p.m. Saturday in Chicago

What to know: Loyola is No. 1 in the national rankings, but is currently looking up to Ohio State in the MIVA standings. The Ramblers after moving atop the AVCA national coaches poll on Monday for the first time their program history will open their conference season against the Buckeyes. Loyola is on a four-match winning streak, including road victories against Harvard and Sacred Heart last week. The team also became the first MIVA team to be ranked No. 1 in a regular season national coaches poll since Lewis in 1999. The Buckeyes are in first place in the MIVA following two victories last weekend to open its conference season. Ohio State swept both Quincy and Lindenwood on the road to extend its winning streak to four matches and improve above .500 for the first time this season.

Prediction: Loyola def. Ohio State in four games

No. 14 IPFW (3-1, 0-0 MIVA) vs. Ball State (3-2, 0-0 MIVA)

Match vitals: 7 p.m Friday in Fort Wayne, Ind.

What to know: One of the best in-state rivalries in college men's volleyball will be renewed when Ball State makes the one-hour trip north to play IPFW. The men's volleyball rivalry has become so big in Fort Wayne that even the city's newspaper The News-Sentinel ranked it among the top 10 sporting events in Indiana. This match will be both team's conference opener and the first time the teams have played each other since the Cardinals swept the Mastodons in the MIVA Tournament quarterfinals last season. IPFW setter Omar Rivera is leading the MIVA with a 11.43 assists per game average. In addition, the Mastodons have a conference-best .364 attack percentage through the first three weeks of the season. Ball State enters conference play after it snapped a two-match losing streak with a non-conference victory against McKendree last week.

Prediction: IPFW def. Ball State in five games

No. 1 UCLA (7-1, 4-0 MPSF) vs. No. 8 UC Irvine (5-5, 2-4 MPSF)

Match vitals: 7 p.m. Saturday in Irvine, Calif.

What to know: For the second time in less than a week, UCLA and UC Irvine will meet each other in a conference match. AVCA All-American outside attacker Gonzalo Quiroga had a team-high 14 kills in the initial match to help the Bruins sweep the Anteaters on Monday. UCLA in the victory out-hit UC Irvine .420 to .365 and had three players finish with double-digit kills. The win also extended the Bruins' winning streak to a nation-best seven matches. UC Irvine with its loss to UCLA is now two matches below .500 in conference play and in ninth place in the MPSF. In addition, outside attacker Connor Hughes in the loss had a match-high 15 kills.

Prediction: UCLA def. UC Irvine in five games.

by Deb Stadick, AVCA Blogger + Program Director of the Badger Region Volleyball Association

The 2013 AVCA Convention kicked off last December in Seattle, Washington. Like most other volleyball nuts in the nation, I was there. As a second-time attendee, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect in terms of schedule, seminar topics and the like. That knowledge in-and-of itself was enough to get me fired up about attending.

But the convention is more than just an educational opportunity. It’s an annual reunion for coaching friends from across the country. It’s a chance to chat with Karch Kiraly in the hotel elevator. It’s an opportunity to converse with hot-shot coaches over coffee. It’s an excuse to attend the NCAA semifinals and finals.

The stuff not on the schedule, paired with the awesome education sessions, makes the convention an experience like none other and a must-attend event for anyone who’s a fan of the sport.

I’ve compiled a highlight reel of my days in Seattle to give you an insider-look at what convention is all about and what I took away from the experience.

Tuesday, December 17

Travel Day

Quick Rundown: Flew out of Milwaukee. Ran into the Marquette coaching staff on my flight. Caught a cab with them to our hotel in Seattle. Checked in. Gawked at the craziest gingerbread houses I’ve ever seen (seriously--they were insane). Met a former coworker for dinner downtown.

VB: Most convention attendees stayed at the Sheraton (headquarter hotel), and the lobby was a revolving door of volleyball people. Running into someone you knew (whether a friend or a famous person) was inevitable. Within seconds of arriving, I was waving and tackle-hugging friends I hadn’t seen since last year’s convention. It was awesome. Volleyball people really are the best.

OK, he may not be a volleyball person, but he's still cool in my book!

Random: Seattle is gorgeous. The view driving in from the airport and then again from my hotel window was breathtaking. Don’t worry. I captured it on my super-high-resolution phone camera to share with you all.

Wednesday, December 18

Day One

Quick Rundown: Grabbed early-morning Starbucks with Bill (my former boss). Checked-in for the convention. Attended the pre-convention seminar on arm-swing mechanics. Ate lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. Took the train to the Key Arena for the semifinalist open practices. Ate dinner at Gordon and Biersch with coworkers. Socialized in the lobby. Ventured out on a late-night sushi run (a must in Seattle).

Watching open practice.

VB: Walt Ker kicked things off with his pre-convention seminar session on the overlooked mechanics of attacking. The presentation’s content was incredibly valuable, but what struck me about the session was the range of personnel in attendance. Men’s DI college coaches (John Kosty from Stanford) along with club coaches were present and contributing with questions and comments. Not many settings facilitate that type of interaction between those at all levels of an industry. It was so cool.

Random: According to my dear friend Bill (a Washington native), Seattle is the birthplace of Starbucks. As such, it was our obligation to visit an establishment first thing on Wednesday morning before heading over to the convention center to check-in. That cup of coffee was the start of a long week of nearly-constant coffee consumption.

Thursday

Day 2

Quick Rundown: Grabbed coffee. Attended sessions. Went on a Seattle excursion. Ate lunch at a vegan food truck (because, why not). Attended more sessions. Grabbed more coffee. Taxi-cabbed to the NCAA Semifinal matches. Watched the matches from the Adidas Suite. Talked programming opportunities with a USAV friend. Ate a late dinner at the hotel. Mustered enough energy to check out the Molten Party.

My view at the NCAA Semifinals!

VB: I went to a session featuring John Speraw (UCLA/Men’s National Team) and his staff. The room was jam-packed--no surprise considering Speraw’s impressive resume. But as I perused the audience, I realized that half the attendees could be up on stage doing the talking. That crowd had an insanely high volleyball IQ and featured elite volleyball minds from all levels of the sport. But they sat there soaking in Speraw’s presentation. My takeaway from that observation: apparently, successful coaches are committed to constantly learning, gaining fresh perspective and refining their craft. No matter how experienced or accomplished they might be. And that’s pretty cool.

Random: The NCAA semifinal matches were played on Thursday night, and the trek to Key Arena included a stop at the Monorail Express. Described by the hotel clerk as a cash-only, walk-up joint that drew a block-long line every morning, we had a pretty good idea it was top notch. And holy cow, it was. Not that I needed any caffeine to stay awake through those crazy matches (On, Wisconsin).

Friday

Day 3

Recap: Grabbed coffee @ Monorail (seriously, it’s the best coffee I’ve tasted). Met with friends for breakfast. Attended sessions. Met up with the Net Live crew to do the annual convention show. Went back to the hotel to preview the finals for my AVCA blog. Met the Net Live crew for dinner.

VB: My boss and I attended a session on non-verbal communication which was presented by the JVA. It called to attention the subtleties of non-verbal communication, specifically how slight alterations in a gesture or tone can dramatically impact how a bit of information or feedback is received by a player. This might seem obvious, but it’s an aspect of coaching that isn’t always approached with intention. The concept was further explored during a conversation I had with a coaching friend (over coffee, of course). It was mentioned that the fundamentals of volleyball aren’t hard to teach; the key piece of coaching is how you pass along information to each unique player on your team. How we present information is as important as the information itself. Easy to say, harder to put into practice.

Random: During the women’s season, I was a guest contributor on The Net Live (a volleyball radio program you should all check out). I called in during the College Volleyball Weekly segment and chatted about the NCAA DI action that week. Each year, The Net Live does a special edition of the show and broadcasts live from the AVCA Convention. So I finally had met the crew after having spent all season talking with them! The show was a blast. There wasn’t a pre-set schedule: the crew just grabbed coaches as they walked by and did impromptu interviews. With so many well-known coaches passing by, we could have kept the show going for much longer than the two-hour air time!

We had a blast at our AVCA Convention show!

Saturday

Day 4

Quick Rundown: Grabbed breakfast with a former coworker. Conducted a business meeting over donuts and coffee. Ate lunch with USAV friends. Hung out at the USAV booth. Attended sessions with my boss. Went downtown to the Public Market.

Dodged fish. Ate the best mac & cheese I’ve ever tasted. Watched a guy hula-hoop, play the harmonica and solve two Rubix cubes simultaneously. Discovered an awesome yarn store. Took a nap. Attended the championship match with friends. Got a birds-eye-view of Seattle from the Space Needle after the match. Grabbed sushi before calling it a night.

View from atop the Space Needle!

VB: One of the coolest parts about the convention is that it coincides with the NCAA semifinals and finals each year. Many attendees spend their days talking and learning about the sport, then trek over with a group of convention buddies to watch the matches. I [finally] nabbed some quality time with my dear friends Michelle (Iowa Region) and June (USAV), and we headed over to the Key Arena together. This year’s championship featured Penn State and Wisconsin. Both teams came to play and put on a show for the thousands of hyped-up fans in attendance. I am sure it was fun to watch on T.V., but being being there live, experiencing the buzz and participating in pre and post-match conversation was priceless.


I was a little closer for the NCAA Championship Match!

Random: Today, I did the touristy thing and went up the infamous Space Needle with some of the USAV beach staff, June and Michelle (mentioned above). It was a last-minute, we-forgot-to-do-this thing, and we snuck our trip in on Saturday night after the matches. It was a little bit impulsive, but I am glad we went with it. I thought the Seattle was post-card driving into the city. That was nothing compared to the 360-degree view of misty, twinkling skyline we saw from the observation deck of the needle. It was a great final moment to a great week in Seattle.

The convention experience is like nothing else I’ve been a part of. It brings together volley-enthusiasts from all levels of the game, provides them with awesome educational opportunities and facilitates conversation and socialization. It’s beneficial to those in attendance, and ultimately beneficial to the sport we all love.

If you missed the convention this year, don’t worry, the 2014 AVCA Convention in Oklahoma City is just around the corner! It’s okay to start getting excited and planning your trip right now.

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Deb Previews + Predicts the National Championship Match!

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Why did We Start Athletes Abroad?

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