The NCAA is live with the 2017 men’s volleyball selection show, where they’ll officially name the 6 teams that will play at this year’s national championship tournament in 2 weeks in Columbus, Ohio.
The 4 Division I/Division II conference champions earn automatic bids. The defending champions Ohio State (MIVA), Long Beach State (MPSF), Barton College (Conference Carolinas), and Penn State (EIVA) all earn automatic bids.
The other 2 can come from any school.
2 teams receive a bye to the semi-finals, while the other 4 teams will have to go through play-in games to get there.
Refresh this page often, as we’ll update as the teams are announced.
#1: Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State, ranked #2 in the latest AVCA rankings and RPI ratings, will be the top seed as a team. The 28-2 Buckeyes get a first round bye and will take on the winner of the opening-round Penn State-Hawaii showdown.
#2 Long Beach State 49ers
Long Beach State will get the other first round bye. Beach (25-3) is ranked #1 in the last AVCA poll and #3 in the most recent RPI rankings. They’ll take the two-seed with a matchup looming between them and the winner of BYU-Barton in the opening rounds.
Round 1 Matches
BYU vs Barton
- Tuesday, May 2 – 6 PM
Brigham Young, which held the top spot in the April 16 RPI but was just #3 in the last AVCA poll, is the top team left out of the first-round byes. BYU will get Barton College in the opening round, with the winner getting Long Beach State.
Barton, a Division II program in North Carolina, is only in its 6th year of existence as a program. They were the Conference Carolinas champion. Barton was unranked in the latest (April 10) AVCA poll and just 15th in the final RPI rankings.
Penn State vs Hawaii
- Tuesday, May 2 – 8 PM
Hawaii was #4 in the final AVCA poll and wind up on the very opposite side of the bracket as their MPSF rival Long Beach State. Long Beach State topped Hawaii in the conference championship title match, but the two won’t match up again until a potential national title game grudge match.
Penn State gets in after nabbing the #13 spot in the final AVCA rankings. Their RPI suggests a bit more ferocity than that, though, checking in at #8. Penn State won the EIVA and join Barton, Ohio State and Long Beach State as the four major conference champions.
Round 2 Matches
#2 Long Beach State vs BYU/Barton winner
- Thursday, May 4 – 6 PM
#1 Ohio State vs Hawaii/Penn St winner
- Thursday, May 4 – 8 PM
Championship Round Match
- Saturday, May 6 – 7 PM
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