Texas is chasing its first college volleyball championship since 2012, and if the Longhorns can win it all, they could be the #1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Two other No. 1 seeds, Stanford and defending champion Wisconsin, have combined four of their last six NCAA titles.
The fourth No. 1 seed, Louisville, was able to make history last year by becoming the first ACC team to win it all by reaching the national semifinals for the first time in program history, while the Cardinals got past No. 2 seed Nebraska. may have to. It’s not an easy task.
With the final four of the year (December 15-17) returning to CHI Health Center in Omaha, the Huskers are chasing their sixth national title and first title in their home country since 2015 .
San Diego, on the other hand, is 27-1, undefeated since losing to Louisville in early September. Semifinalist and nine-time champion Stanford in the regional finals.
Before the regions start on Thursday, we asked analysts to break down the bracket.Which team will have the toughest road to Omaha and what are their predictions for the tournament’s first weekend?
Which team seed surprised you the most?
Holly McPeak: Going into the selection show, I expected either Stanford or San Diego to finish fourth, so it’s no surprise that they would have to play each other to advance to the national semifinals. I thought it was a surprise that RPI was seeded ahead of a good Minnesota team, but the committee agreed that Gophers were the hottest team these days, while Nebraska had great bodies. Told me it would work for the rest of the season without inflicting a bad loss on an unranked team.
Courtney Lyle: My biggest surprise was not the seeds. It was the fact that the SEC had the most teams in the tournament. Seven teams have participated since his eight in the SEC in 2013. We’ve long seen conferences like the Pac-12 and Big Ten reigning supreme in the volleyball world. I think this is a great sign that the sport is growing nationally.
Jennifer Hoffman: I agree with Courtney here. Rankings aren’t an indication of conference strength, but only 25 of the seven SEC teams were ranked in the top 25, and several teams were eliminated in one fell swoop, leaving him on his first four outlists. Some of the larger bids should have remained. .
MA Vopel: The NCAA tournament bubble can be dark in all sports, but it often looks very dark in volleyball. As Courtney and Jennifer said, the SEC’s 7 meant including teams like Tennessee and Auburn. The league might have hoped to get one in (Auburn), but not both. There was not.
Sam Gore: This is actually the first NCAA Tournament Bracket that didn’t leave me with big questions. The commission did a thorough job, and any initial skepticism about anything was met head-on and explained by its chairman, Pauline Theros. After all, I’m kind of surprised that Georgia Tech wasn’t a 4th seed.
Paul Sunderland: Sowing did not surprise me at all overall. The Commission has been widely criticized over the years… but not this year. But San Diego earned the #1 seed and deserved it. Torreros still has to deal with Stanford, but overall he earned the 4th seed and hosting advantage.
Which of the top four seeds has the toughest road to Omaha?
McPeak: Minnesota is the hottest team right now, so I think the road in Texas will be tough. Texas has one of the most physical teams in the country, and Minnesota can match the Longhorns in certain areas. Texas has special team chemistry with all new players this year, and the Longhorns, led by Logan Eggleston, are on a mission to win it all.
Lyle: The road from Texas to Omaha is the steepest. The Longhorns could face Ohio or Minnesota in the super-regional. The Golden Gophers are one of the hottest teams to enter the tournament, winning 11 of their last 13 games. Taylor Landfair averages over 4.0 kills per set and is no stranger to battling big blocks in the Big Ten.
Hoffmann: You won’t find a top 4 seed with easy access to Omaha. On the tournament field, I think some fans questioned the committee, but overall, the way the field is spread out is sure to win whichever team makes it to Omaha.
Vopel: The Longhorns may be the hardest Elite Eight match, but they likely won’t have major problems before that. So there could be a few more potential potholes in Louisville across the road to Omaha, and you might have to go through Purdue, Baylor, and Nebraska to make it to the final four. No. All in all, the regional finals may feel like national championship matches in terms of quality of play.
Goa: I think Texas is the best overall team in the field, but their road to the national semifinals is riddled with potential obstacles. Georgia Tech will be a very good team once they pick up momentum and Julia Her Bergman will be able to take over the game. Ohio State University and her USC are also teeming with talent. That said, Minnesota presents the biggest challenge before Texas’ quarterfinals begin. The Gophers did well in the Big Ten. I always feel that the competitiveness with which Big Ten teams play is an invisible positive in NCAA Tournament play. This is also Hugh McCutcheon’s final season, so there’s an emotional component at work as well. No doubt, Texas can survive the quarter, but it will be a well-earned and hard-fought effort.
Sunderland: Texas. Julia Bergman and Georgia Tech are waiting ahead. Minnesota is healthy and hot (7-1 in the Top 8) and the Taylor Land Fair is underway.
Which low-seeded or unseeded teams are most likely to advance to the top of the tournament?
McPeak: This is a difficult question. USC may upset anyone as the Trojans are racing well, but they are battling serious injuries. Washington is an experienced senior team in the NCAA and could be a long game if it catches fire.
Lyle: I look forward to seeing what Auburn can do. The Tigers entered the season to gain experience and grow the various weapons they possess. Now in his second time in the NCAA Tournament, Auburn has nothing to lose. It makes for a dangerous team.
Hoffmann: Auburn is young and plays fearlessly. The Tigers had their highs and lows all season long, but it didn’t seem to affect them.Akasha Anderson and Kendel Kemp are forces to be reckoned with, and Auburn stands to storm this tournament. .
Vopel: No. 7 seed BYU could face a rematch with No. 2 seed Pitt in the second round after suffering a “bad” 3-2 loss at the Pacific in October. The Cougars could enjoy another shot at the Panthers, with his 3-1 loss to Pitt on Sept. 3 in Provo, Utah.
Goa: I go to Kansas or UNLV. Both teams are underrated and have the pieces to pull off some upsets.
Sunderland: Both BYU and USC are runnable. Setter Whitney Bauer is back and the Cougars are healthy now. As for the Trojans, Texas transfer Schuyler Field and Topsetter Mia his Tuaniga can carry them. Setters make the difference, especially at this time of year.
Who are the players to watch out for in the tournament?
McPeak: I think there are so many special players that it is difficult to narrow down to just one. Maddy Skinner has developed into one of her best six rotation left-wing attackers in the country, and her counterpart Logan Eggleston is her four-time All-American on the Mission. Minnesota’s Taylor Landfair is a dynamic attacker who can dominate a game.
Lyle: Logan Eggleston of Texas has done pretty much everything but win national championships. Her teammates want to win for her. Eggleston needs to be seen on TV with her powerful swing, awkward serve, and sheer drive.
Hoffmann: I haven’t heard much about Brooke Nuneville from Oregon. She’s exciting to watch, but she does it on the defensive side as well and can be a spark for a duck.
Vopel: If you like big hitters, you’ll enjoy playing against Stanford University’s 6-foot-5 Kendall Kipp. When Kathryn Plummer was a star at Stanford University, she was a freshman on her 2019 National Championship team of the Cardinals. Kip was just named Pac-12 Player of the Year with her 4.31 kills per set average. She is her 13th Cardinal to win the conference’s highest honor, and the first since Plummer won back-to-back from her 2017 to her 2018.
Goa: Logan Eggleston from Texas and Julia Bergman from Georgia Tech.
Sunderland: There are plenty of must-see players, but let’s start with Wisconsin’s Devyn Robinson. She’s a blast and can’t be stopped. Just ask Nebraska and Ohio. Next up is Claire Chasse in Louisville. She won this year’s Jordan Larson Award for best all-around player in the country. Finally, rice setter Carly Graham is unique, sweeping the Owls in San Diego at last year’s tournament.
Which team will advance to the top 4?
Hoffmann: Minnesota, San Diego, Wisconsin, Louisville. December is the best time of the year. Let the game begin.
Vopel: Texas, San Diego, Wisconsin, Louisville. But if Nebraska, Clayton, or both succeed, the building’s energy will go through the roof.
Goa: 4 people to win all! I’m sorry, I couldn’t stand it! This year’s NCAA Tournament is full of potential upsets.
Sunderland: Let’s get down to it. Wisconsin is playing at an incredible level and Louisville is getting healthier by the day with Anna Devere back. Finally, it’s not boring, but it’s more Minnesota than Stanford. It’s a long shot, but Minnesota is kryptonite in Texas based on style.
