Inside The 2018 NCAA Tournament Field: Seeds, Newcomers, History & RPI

  1 Wendy Mayer | November 25th, 2018 | ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Big West, College - Women's Indoor, Conference USA, Division I Mid-Major, Missouri Valley Conference, Mountain West, News, Pac 12, SEC, WCC

Here’s a snapshot look at the 2018 NCAA Tournament field, starting with the overall top four seeds, followed by the remaining teams by 16-team region.

Stanford (28-1, 20-0 Pac-12) was a lock as the No. 1 overall seed, especially after a loss by both BYU and Minnesota on Week 14. The Cardinal went 20-0 en route to the Pac-12 title, in a league which got eight teams into the field. Stanford, which filled the No. 2 position in the national polls behind BYU for much of the season, brings a 26-match win streak into NCAAs.

Minnesota and Illinois were also pretty much givens due to their respective records and RPI. Minnesota (25-3, 19-1 Big Ten), which won the Big Ten title at 19-1 and suffered its first league loss on Friday against Penn State, was ranked No. 2 in RPI.

Illinois (28-3, 17-3 Big Ten) finished second behind the Golden Gophers and ranked fourth in the most recent RPI.

The fourth team was up for debate for many between BYU, which lost to unranked Loyola Marymount on Tuesday, and Texas, which won the Big 12 title.

Despite BYU’s loss and the loss of junior outside hitter McKenna Miller to an ACL injury on Week 13, the West Coast Conference champion Cougars (27-1, 17-1 West Coast Conference) were awarded the fourth overall seed.

The top four seeds will host through the regional rounds as long as they continue to win. And in the case of No. 2 Minnesota, which is playing host to the national finals in Minneapolis, potentially all the way to the title match.

The Top 16 Seeds

  1. Stanford
  2. Minnesota
  3. Illinois
  4. BYU
  5. Texas
  6. Wisconsin
  7. Nebraska
  8. Penn State
  9. Creighton
  10. Kentucky
  11. USC
  12. Pittsburgh
  13. UCF
  14. Marquette
  15. Oregon
  16. Washington State

RPI Breakdown

  • 16 of the automatic berths came from outside the 11/18 RPI Top 50.
    • Six came from RPI 51-100
    • Five came from RPI 101-15
    • Three came from RPI 151-200
    • Two came from RPI 201+
  • Alabama State, winner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament, is the highest RPI team at 237
  • The highest RPI team to earn an at-large berth was 76 Loyola Marymount. The Lions’ RPI will rise in the next listing after beating RPI No. 5 BYU on Tuesday.

History

Stanford and Penn State continued their reign as the only two schools who have made all 38 NCAA fields. Stanford was selected as the No. 1 overall seed, while Penn State was tabbed as the No. 8 seed.

Each is seeking its record eighth national title. Seven other previous champions are among the field.

  • Hawaii (1982, 1983, 1987)
  • Nebraska (1995, 2000, 2006, 2015, 2017)
  • Penn State (1999, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014)
  • Stanford (1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2016)
  • Texas (1988, 2012)
  • USC (1981, 2002, 2003)
  • Washington (2005)

NCAA Newcomers

  • Bryant* – Northeast Conference champs
    The Bulldogs made 11 NCAA appearances as a Division II member with the last coming in 2007. The team became postseason eligible at the Division I level in 2012.
  • Eastern Michigan – Mid-American Conference Tournament champs
  • FGCU – Atlantic Sun Tournament champs
  • Navy – Patriot League Tournament champs
  • South Dakota – Summit League champs
  • Syracuse – at large out of the ACC

Conference Breakdown

  • Pac-12: 8
  • Big Ten: 7
  • ACC 5
  • SEC: 5
  • WCC: 5
  • American: 2
  • Big East: 2
  • Big West: 2
  • Big 12: 2
  • Missouri Valley: 2
  • Southern Conference: 2
  • Summit League: 2

Last Teams Out

According to the NCAA selection committee, the final four teams out were Kansas, Kansas State, Princeton and Maryland.

Kansas was No. 36 in RPI and finished fifth in the Big 12, but dropped each of its last five matches. The Jayhawks also lost to Loyola Marymount earlier in the year.

Princeton was 49 in RPI, while Kansas State and Maryland checked in at 52 and 53 respectively.

At A Glance

School Record 11/18 RPI VolleyMob Ranking Current Win Streak Past NCAA Berths Last NCAA Berth (Result)
1 Stanford 28-1, 20-0 Pac-12 1 1 W26 37 2017 (Final Four)
Alabama State 23-17, 16-2 SWAC 237 n/a W13 4 2017 (1st Round)
Loyola Marymount 20-9, 10-8 WCC 76 n/a W1 13 2015 (Sweet 16)
Duke 16-11, 10-8 ACC 48 n/a W2 19 2014 (1st Round)
Tennessee 25-5, 16-2 SEC 29 16 W11 13 2012 (1st Round)
Colorado State 23-7, 15-3 Mountain West 39 RV L1 29 2017 (2nd Round)
Northern Arizona 26-8, 15-3, Big Sky 115 n/a W13 2 2015 (1st Round)
16 Washington State 21-9, 12-8 Pac-12 12 14 W2 12 2017 (2nd Round)
9 Creighton 28-4, 18-0 Big East 16 9 W20 6 2017 (2nd Round)
South Dakota 21-9, 13-3 109 n/a W5 2* 2007 (NCAA Division II)
Saint Mary’s 19-9, 11-7 WCC 42 n/a W2 6 2012 (2nd Round)
Washington 18-12, 10-10 Pac-12 19 19 L3 22 2017 (2nd Round)
Syracuse 18-8, 14-4 ACC 27 RV W1 0
Yale 19-4, 13-1 Ivy League 44 n/a W11 6 2014 (1st Round)
Howard 20-1-0, 9-1 MEAC 167 n/a W4 4 2017 (1st Round)
8 Penn State 23-7, 14-6 Big Ten 13 7 L1 37 2017 (Final Four)
5 Texas 20-4, 15-1 Big 12 3 8 W10 34 2017 (Elite Eight)
Stephen F. Austin 32-2, 16-0 Southland 45 RV W29 4 2006 (2nd Round)
Rice 24-6, 12-2 Conference USA 30 n/a W3 3 2009 (1st Round)
Texas State 26-6, 15-1 Sun Belt 24 RV W4 9 2013 (1st Round)
Michigan 22-9, 11-9 Big Ten 18 21 W3 17 2017 (1st Round)
Navy 23-8, 13-3 Patriot League 95 n/a W5 0
Iona 20-7, 16-2 MAAC 153 n/a W4 2004 (1st Round)
12 Pittsburgh 29-1, 17-1 ACC 7 11 W6 15 2017 (2nd Round)
13 UCF 27-3, 18-0 American 10 20 W24 7 2014 (1st Round)
FGCU 26-6, 15-1 Atlantic Sun 51 n/a W15 0
Florida State 19-9, 15-3 ACC 26 RV W2 20 2017 (1st Round)
Florida 24-6, 15-3 SEC 20 17 W1 27 2017 (National Runnerup)
Utah 18-13, 10-10 Pac-12 40 25 W3 14 2017 (Sweet 16)
Denver 27-2, 15-0 Summit League 43 n/a L1 4 2017 (1st Round)
Stony Brook 21-8, 12-0 America East 102 n/a W17 1 2017 (1st Round)
4 BYU 27-1, 17-1 WCC 5 4 L1 30 2017 (Sweet 16)
3 Illinois 28-3, 17-3 Big Ten 4 3 W13 24 2017 (Sweet 16)
Eastern Michigan 21-13, 9-7 MAC 154 n/a W5 0
Louisville 21-8, 14-4 ACC 38 n/a W1 26 2017 (1st Round)
Dayton 23-7, 12-2 Atlantic 10 28 n/a W6 12 2016 (1st Round)
Cincinnati 25-7, 15-3 American 23 RV W4 10 2016 (1st Round)
Illinois State 25-7, 16-2 MVC 31 n/a L1 13 2014 (2nd Round)
High Point 21-9, 14-2 Big South 56 n/a W3 3 2017 (1st Round)
14 Marquette 26-6, 15-2 Big East 15 22 L1 11 2017 (2nd Round)
11 USC 21-10, 13-7 Pac-12 8 13 W1 35 2017 (Elite Eight)
Samford 19-14, 11-5 SoCon 121 n/a W5 3 2016 (1st Round)
San Diego 16-12, 13-5 WCC 47 n/a L2 21 2017 (2nd Round)
Cal Poly 25-2, 15-1 Big West 25 18 W6 15 2017 (2nd Round)
Northern Iowa 24-9, 16-2 Missouri Valley 22 RV W3 21 2017 (2nd Round)
Pepperdine 21-8, 14-4 WCC 37 n/a W5 22 2012 (1st Round)
Green Bay 20-10, 13-3 Horizon League 126 n/a W5 1 2003 (1st Round)
6 Wisconsin 22-6, 15-5 Big Ten 6 5 W6 21 2017 (Sweet 16)
7 Nebraska 24-6, 15-5 Big Ten 11 6 W8 36 2017 (National Champions)
Hofstra 25-7, 13-3 Colonial (CAA) 58 n/a W9 8 2014 (1st Round)
Arizona 22-10, 11-9 Pac-12 41 23 W3 28 2016 (Sweet 16)
Missouri 23-7, 13-5 SEC 33 RV W1 14 2017 (Sweet 16)
Purdue 23-8, 12-8 Big Ten 16 15 L1 19 2017 (2nd Round)
ETSU 28-6, 15-1 SoCon 34 n/a L1 2 2017 (1st Round)
Murray State 22-9, 13-3 OVC 100 n/a W16 3 2016 (1st Round)
10 Kentucky 24-4, 18-0 SEC 9 10 W21 19 2017 (Elite Eight)
15 Oregon 20-10, 13-7 Pac-12 21 12 W2 23 2017 (2nd Round)
New Mexico State 24-7, 12-4 WAC 60 n/a W6 8 2015 (1st Round)
Hawaii 18-8, 14-2 Big West 50 n/a W2 36 2017 (1st Round)
Baylor 19-8, 11-5 Big 12 14 24 W1 4 2017 (2nd Round)
South Carolina 19-9, 10-8 SEC 32 n/a L3 7 2002 (2nd Round)
Colorado 18-13, 10-10 Pac-12 46 RV L1 17 2017 (Sweet 16)
Bryant 22-12, 10-4 NEC 203 n/a W2 11 2007 (NCAA Division II)
2 Minnesota 25-3, 19-1 Big Ten 2 2 W1 22 2017 (Sweet 16)

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About Wendy Mayer

Wendy Mayer

Wendy Mayer has worked in athletics media relations for the last 20 years. The Northwest Missouri State alumna is currently senior writer for Volleymob.com after spending the last 15 years with Purdue athletics.

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