NCAA Tournament Begins For Seven Pac-12 Volleyball Teams

THIS WEEK
NCAA Tournament action kicks off this week with seven Pac-12 teams participating, including the No. 1 overall seed USC. It is the 16th-consecutive year the Pac-12 has had at least six teams earn postseason bids. Four of the seven squads participating this year are among the top-16 seeded teams, including No. 5 WASHINGTON, No. 8 STANFORD and No. 14 UCLA. Keeping the streak alive for another year, the Cardinal is one of only two teams in the country to earn a bid to all 35 NCAA Volleyball Tournaments.

PAC-12 CO-CHAMPIONS
For the fourth time in Pac-12 history, co-champions were crowned in women’s volleyball with USC and WASHINGTON each claiming a share of the regular-season title. The Trojans won the title for the fifth time in the program’s history, while the Huskies claimed the title for the fourth time ever and second time in the last three years.

CONFERENCE STANDINGS (Expanded standings)

* - Co-Pac-12 Champions
^ - NCAA Tournament Participant

UPCOMING SCHEDULE (All Times Local To Site)

1 - O'Connell Center, Gainesville, Fla.; 2 - UW Fieldhouse, Madison, Wisc.; 3 - Maples Pavilion, Stanford, Calif.; 4 - Galen Center, Los Angeles, Calif.; 5 - Alaska Airlines Arena, Seattle, Wash.; 6 - George A. Smith Fieldhouse, Provo, Utah; 7 - Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, Calif.

AVCA RANKINGS
The Pac-12 has the No. 1 and 2 spots in the AVCA Coaches poll for the third-consecutive week, but WASHINGTON takes the top spot for the first time all season with USC coming in at No. 2. The Huskies received 42 first-place votes to secure the No. 1 ranking and the Trojans received 12. Four teams are ranked this week as STANFORD earned a No. 6 ranking and UCLA is No. 12. All four teams earned a top-16 seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

PAC-12 IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Pac-12 has won 14 of 34 NCAA titles awarded, including 12 of the last 24. UCLA claimed the Conference’s most recent crown in 2011, while Washington was the national champion in 2005, Stanford in 2001 and 2004, and USC was the winner in 2002 and 2003 … Pac-12 teams have compiled an impressive 416-222 (.652) record in NCAA play. Toss out the 22 postseason matches between Conference teams and the league’s NCAA Tournament record against non-conference foes stands at 214-82 (.722) since 2001 and 354-162 (686) overall … Over the last 14 years, Pac-12 teams are 93-21 in the first round, including posting a NCAA-record 10-0 in 2015 after a NCAA-record 10 league teams earned bids last year ... It is the 16th-consecutive year the Conference has had at least six teams earn NCAA Tournament bids.

ARIZONA
The Wildcats earn a third-straight NCAA Tournament bid and 27th all-time, boasting a 28-26 postseason record (.510). Arizona’s only national semifinal appearance was in 2001 … UA has advanced to the second round in each of the last two years and faces Conference USA Champion Western Kentucky (31-3) in Provo, Utah, in the first round of the Lexington Regional. If the Wildcats move on, they face the winner of the No. 13-BYU (26-3)-Ohio (25-7) first-round match.

ARIZONA STATE
After making just four NCAA Tournament appearances from 1996-2011, the Sun Devils participate in the postseason for the fourth-consecutive year. It is only the third time in program history ASU makes four-straight appearances and first since 1992-95 … ASU has been without All-American Macey Gardner, who was injured and out for the year midway through the season … The Sun Devils head to Gainesville, Fla., for their first-round match of the Austin Regional against Florida State (24-7). The winner of that match faces No. 11 and host Florida (22-6) or New Hampshire (21-8) … Arizona State is 9-18 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.

OREGON
Oregon is in the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in 10 years, owning an all-time postseason record of 14-12. The Ducks advanced to its only national title match appearance in 2012 … Playing in the Austin Regional, UO travels to face No. 6 Wisconsin (24-6) in the first round and would face the winner of Iowa State (18-10)-Miami (Fla.) (21-9) in the second round if the Ducks were to pull off the upset.

STANFORD
The Cardinal has won a NCAA-record 108 tournament matches and is one of only two teams in the country to never miss out on the postseason event. Its six all-time NCAA titles is second-most in NCAA history … Stanford is the No. 8 seed overall hosting the first and second rounds of the San Diego Regional. The Cardinal has never lost in the first round and faces New Mexico State to open postseason play. Should Stanford keep that streak alive, it will face the winner of the Loyola Marymount-Colorado State tilt.

UCLA
Making its 33rd all-time appearance, only four teams have made more NCAA Tournament appearances than the Bruins and have the second-most all-time tournament victories among Pac-12 teams with 83 … The No. 14 seed overall and in the Austin Regional, UCLA has four NCAA titles to its credit, the last coming in 2011 during head coach Mike Sealy’s first season … The Bruins host Lipscomb in the first round and the winner of that match goes on to face the winner of the Michigan-Santa Clara matchup.

USC
USC earned the No. 1 overall seed for the third time in the history of the program and the first time since earning the top seed in 2002 and 2003 … The Trojans bounced back from a 16-16 campaign last year to posting their fifth 30-win campaign in history, and first since 2012, and to make their 33rd all-time NCAA Tournament appearance … Ranked No. 1 in the country for six weeks of the season while also claiming a share of the Pac-12 title, the Trojans host Cleveland State in the first round of the San Diego Regional. The winner plays the winner of the Northern Arizona-San Diego first-round match … The Trojans have won three NCAA titles, including the first-ever NCAA Championship in 1981.

WASHINGTON
Washington is the No. 5 overall seed in the Lexington Regional, making its 20th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance … Despite a change in head coaching leadership over the summer, the Huskies still nabbed a share of the Pac-12 crown on the final weekend of regular-season play under the direction of Keegan Cook and also a No. 1 overall national ranking … The Huskies won the 2005 title and advanced to the national semifinal in 2013 for the fourth time in school history … UW hosts Denver in the first round and could face Michigan State or Arkansas State in the second round.

NCAA STATS 
• A contender for national player of the year, USC’s Samantha Bricio continues to have a strong season leading the nation in aces per set (0.73) and points per set (6.18). She also ranks third with a 5.07 kills per set average.
• WASHINGTON’s Lianna Sybeldon is the most efficient hitter in the nation, boasting a .475 hitting percentage. USC’s Alicia Ogoms is 16th at .415.
• Four of the top 19 blocking teams in the nation are in the Pac-12. UW is seventh averaging 2.99 blocks per set, while ARIZONA STATE ranks 11th at 2.94. WASHINGTON STATE and STANFORD are 13th (2.90) and 18th (2.84), respectively.
• The Huskies lead the Pac-12 and rank third in the country with a .312 hitting percentage and also boast the seventh-best opponent hitting percentage in the nation, limiting foes to .146.
• The Pac-12 is home to three of the nation’s top-25 hitters, in terms of kills per set. Behind Bricio is UCLA’s Jordan Anderson with a 4.49 kps, which is 15th. ARIZONA’s Kalei Mau is 23rd (4.33).

For a complete list of NCAA stats team and individual leaders visit this link: http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/ranking_summary

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK 
STANFORD’S Brittany Howard was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week while OREGON’s Amanda Benson is the Defensive Player of the Week and Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors went to STANFORD’s Hayley Hodson, who garners the award for the fifth time this season. For the complete release and for previous winners, click here.

AROUND THE LEAGUE
ARIZONA leads the league and is 33rd in the country in digs per set at 16.83 … At 19-12 on the year, ARIZONA STATE has won 19 or more matches in each of the last four seasons for the first time in program history … CALIFORNIA setter Alyssa Jensen finished the regular season fifth in the league in assists per set at 10.03 … COLORADO posted its best finish in the Pac-12, placing fifth overall. The Buffs knocked off six ranked opponents in 2015 … OREGON is riding a hot-streak into the NCAA tournament, winning four of its last five matches with the only loss in that stretch coming against the No. 5 seed Washington … OREGON STATE's Mary-Kate Marshall, a 2014 AVCA All-American, is second in the Pac-12 and 10th in the country in attacks per set (12.40) … STANFORD's senior class went all four years of their career without losing a single match to the rival California Golden Bears … UCLA's junior Jordan Anderson has reached the 20-kill mark nine times this season. She ranks 15th in the country in kills per set at 4.49 … USC reached the 30-win mark in a season for the fourth time under head coach Mick Haley. He previously led the Trojans to 30-win seasons in 2002, '03, and '12 … UTAH's Adora Anae finished the regular season second in double-doubles in the Pac-12 with 19 … WASHINGTON has won 30-straight home games in Alaska Airlines Arena … WASHINGTON STATE averaged 2.90 blocks per set, the 13th-best mark in the country on the year.

• The Pac-12 Networks revealed the Pac-12 All-Century Women’s Volleyball roster. STANFORD's Logan Tom was named Pac-12 Women’s Volleyball Player of the Century honors and UCLA's Andy Banachowski being named the Pac-12 Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Century. To view the full roster, click here.

• Samantha Bricio of USC became the first Trojan ever to break the 2,000-kill mark and just the seventh player in Pac-12 history to do so. After last weekend’s matches, Bricio moved into sixth place in Conference history with 2,005 kills (ahead of Hana Cutura of California).

• On Friday, Oct. 16, USC head coach Mick Haley earned his 900th career NCAA Division I victory (378 at USC, 522 at Texas).

• Utah head coach Beth Launiere picked up her 500th career win in the Utes’ 3-1 victory against Oregon State on Sun., Nov. 1, at the Huntsman Center. She has been in Salt Lake City for all 25 years of her head coaching career.

• Pac-12 teams defeated nine ranked non-conference teams this season with USC accounting for three of those wins. The Trojans’ three wins were to teams ranked in the top 11 at the time of the meeting, two of which came in the opening weekend. UCLA traveled to then-No. 17 Hawai’i over the weekend and took down the UH in front of a crowd of over 8,600 fans. ARIZONA STATE, COLORADO and STANFORD have also notched wins over top-10 foes.

• Pac-12 teams went 97-31 (.758) in the non-conference regular-season portion of the schedule, including going 27-7 in the opening weekend. In the opening weekend, 17 of the 27 wins came in three-set sweeps. Since 2002, league teams have dominated the first weekend of play, going 332-81 (.804).

• Three Pac-12 teams remain undefeated after the conclusion of the non-conference portion of the schedule and 11 teams have a record of .500 or better due, in part, to the strength of the league’s defense. Four Conference teams are ranked in the top 12 in the nation in opponent hitting percentage, as ARIZONA STATE, WASHINGTON, WASHINGTON STATE and ARIZONA limiting opponents to under .142 hitting. Four league squads are also in the top 15 in the country in blocks per set, with STANFORD ranking second in the country at 3.19. Four Pac-12 teams also rank in the top 15 in kills per set, including the Huskies (7th) and the Wildcats (13th).

• The Pac-12 had another historic season in 2014 which saw an unprecedented 10 teams earn NCAA Tournament bids and went a perfect 10-0 in the first round of the postseason.

• Last year, 14 players were named AVCA All-Americans and eight return for 2015 including senior standouts such as Stanford’s Madi Bugg and Jordan Burgess, USC’s Samantha Bricio, UO’s Martenne Bettendorf, ASU’s Macey Gardner and UW’s Lianna Sybeldon. Sophomores Merete Lutz of Stanford and Mary-Kate Marshall of OSU also return to help lead their respective teams this season.

• One new coach roams the Pac-12 sidelines after WASHINGTON announced the hiring of Keegan Cook, who replaced former UW coach Jim McLaughlin. However, Cook may look familiar to some as he served as an assistant coach under McLaughlin the last two years, helping the Huskies advance to the NCAA semifinal in 2013.

• FAB Freshman ... Pac-12 volleyball continues to recruit marquee student-athletes. Seven Pac-12 teams landed at least one Volleyball Magazine FAB 50 recruit with OREGON pacing the Conference with four. STANFORD signed the nation’s top recruit according to the publication in Hayley Hodson.

• Once again, the Pac-12 will have the most comprehensive volleyball television coverage of any league in the country. 95 total matches will be broadcast live, with 92 being televised on the Conference's Pac-12 Network. Another three more were selected to be televised on ESPNU. For the full television schedule, visit pac-12.com.

PAC-12 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

2015 PAC-12 WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

NATIONAL HONORS

Sept. 30 - Samantha Bricio, USC - ESPNW National Player of the Week
Oct. 6 - Macey Gardner, ASU - AVCA National Player of the Week
Nov. 2 - Cassie Strickland, ESPNW National Player of the Week
Nov. 9 - Samantha Bricio, USC - AVCA National Player of the Week

IN THE PRESEASON

Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll & All-Pac-12 Team | AVCA Preseason Coaches Poll

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING

o The Pac-12 has captured six of the last 14 NCAA crowns (2011 - UCLA, 2005 - Washington, 2004 - Stanford, 2003 - USC, 2002 - USC, 2001 - Stanford) and 14 NCAA titles overall.

o The Pac-12 has had 10 or more All-Americans selections in eight of the last 10 years. Last year, 11 were named to the AVCA All-America squad, the most since 13 were selected in 2009. Ten former Pac-12 players have earned All-America honors four times, while another 18 players in all have earned All-American honors three times.

o Since 1990, Pac-12 players garnered AVCA Player of the Year honors 13 times, including the last four of the last five years - CAL's Carli Lloyd (2010), USC's Alex Jupiter (2011), ORE's Alaina Bergsma (2012) and WASH's Krista Vansant (2013). The NCAA Honda Sports Award honor has been bestowed upon a Pac-12 volleyball player 13 times, including Vansant in 2013.

o The current group of Pac-12 volleyball coaches enters the 2015 season with nearly 5,000 Division I victories to its credit, having compiled 4,822 wins in a combined 219 years of head coaching experience. That averages out to nearly 23 wins a season for each coach per season. In addition, these coaches have guided NCAA Division I teams to 38 NCAA semifinal appearances and eight NCAA titles. In the last 13 years, seven different coaches have been named the ASICS/Volleyball Magazine Coach of the Year and/or the AVCA Coach of the Year - Arizona's David Rubio (2001 ASICS), California's Rich Feller (2007 ASICS, 2010 ASICS and AVCA), Stanford's John Dunning (2001 AVCA), UCLA's Mike Sealy (2011 AVCA), USC's Mick Haley (2003 AVCA), Washington's Jim McLaughlin (2004 ASICS and AVCA), and UCLA's Andy Banachowski (2006 ASICS and AVCA).