Non-revenue college sports thread

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,386
Unbelievable rallies in tonight’s Wisconsin/Oregon women’s volleyball regional final. You’ll see at least one on espn top ten plays.

Wisconsin on to Tampa for National Finals.
Women's volleyball is so much better to watch than men's - at least at this level and above. In men's, the ball moves so much faster, it's actually hard to follow on TV. And points are usually over much quicker (men's rallies typically are about 2 seconds shorter than women's). Women's is just a more enjoyable product, and unlike in basketball, where there are some that complain that there's no real dunking in women's basketball (it's not a problem for me but for many this is an issue), in volleyball, because the net is lower, women can hit just like the men can (it wouldn't be the same if women played on the same net as men). It would be like watching Breanna Stewart come down the lane and throwing a dunk down on a 9' hoop. You still get to see the big hits in women's volleyball, but the rallies are still longer.

Just a much more enjoyable, more entertaining product than the men at this level.
 

Coachster

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 3, 2009
8,945
New Hampshire
Women's volleyball is so much better to watch than men's - at least at this level and above. In men's, the ball moves so much faster, it's actually hard to follow on TV. And points are usually over much quicker (men's rallies typically are about 2 seconds shorter than women's). Women's is just a more enjoyable product, and unlike in basketball, where there are some that complain that there's no real dunking in women's basketball (it's not a problem for me but for many this is an issue), in volleyball, because the net is lower, women can hit just like the men can (it wouldn't be the same if women played on the same net as men). It would be like watching Breanna Stewart come down the lane and throwing a dunk down on a 9' hoop. You still get to see the big hits in women's volleyball, but the rallies are still longer.

Just a much more enjoyable, more entertaining product than the men at this level.
The old saying is, 'men's volleyball is played above the net, women's volleyball is played on the floor.'

Inasmuch as I enjoy women hitting hard, the big difference for me is the length of the rallies and the ability of team defenses to keep balls in play. It takes a special kind of bravery to be a libero at the D-I level. Those women are going to get dinged up, as the floor is damned hard and never gets softer.

Our 4-year-starter libero is graduating this spring, and a couple years ago I asked her what she thought about when making a difficult play. She said 'I'm moving towards the ball and I think 'this one's going to hurt'. But then she still makes the play.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,386
The old saying is, 'men's volleyball is played above the net, women's volleyball is played on the floor.'

Inasmuch as I enjoy women hitting hard, the big difference for me is the length of the rallies and the ability of team defenses to keep balls in play. It takes a special kind of bravery to be a libero at the D-I level. Those women are going to get dinged up, as the floor is damned hard and never gets softer.

Our 4-year-starter libero is graduating this spring, and a couple years ago I asked her what she thought about when making a difficult play. She said 'I'm moving towards the ball and I think 'this one's going to hurt'. But then she still makes the play.
I actually coach my HS girls to play defense up a little closer than other teams do, and I tell them, "Dare the other team to drill you." They are a little afraid, but they find that they can dig many more balls than they thought they could.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
SoSH Member
Oct 31, 2013
72,567
BC hires Chris Watkins to coach the Women’s Soccer team. Watkins comes from
Gonzaga where he guided the Zags to their first ever conference title. (They’re with Santa Clara as well as Portland and Pepperdine)
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,386
I thought Wisconsin had it figured out in that second set and Texas had no answers but then the Horns adjusted themselves and Wisconsin had no answers. Should be a phenomenal championship match.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
SoSH Member
Oct 31, 2013
72,567
Hook 'em Horns.
I don't like to win on a net violation but whatever. The 8-15 rally in S2 was incredible and the comeback (for naught) in S2 x-15 and y-16 was fun.

Tomorrow Sunday should be fun.
 

h8mfy

New Member
Jul 15, 2005
336
Orange County, CA
Hook 'em Horns.
I don't like to win on a net violation but whatever. The 8-15 rally in S2 was incredible and the comeback (for naught) in S2 x-15 and y-16 was fun.

Tomorrow Sunday should be fun.
Note - It will be on ABC - a first for a non-revenue sport, I think they mentioned on last night's broadcast. It seems ABC realized what @Coachster and @BaseballJones wrote above - it is a really compelling, exciting sport to watch.
 

Kremlin Watcher

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 20, 2005
5,233
Orleans, MA
Lady Longhorns absolutely dominate Nebraska 3-0 (including 25-11 in final set) to defend their title.

Hook ‘em ladies! The tower will be burning orange tonight!
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,386
Well, that was a beat-down.

Simple Nebraska issue- you can't receive serve in-system, you aren't going to win.
Uh....this is the biggest reason my HS team stunk this year. So frustrating. So many parents of our kids never played any VB and they think the game is all about "spiking" (I always laugh when they use that term), and they have no idea that passing is the most important part of the game, no matter the level.
 

Coachster

Member
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Jul 3, 2009
8,945
New Hampshire
Uh....this is the biggest reason my HS team stunk this year. So frustrating. So many parents of our kids never played any VB and they think the game is all about "spiking" (I always laugh when they use that term), and they have no idea that passing is the most important part of the game, no matter the level.
Absolutely. And it’s a tough skill to master.

Last year we received a 2.2 and went to the NCAA’s. This year we were at 1.7 and went home early.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,386
Absolutely. And it’s a tough skill to master.

Last year we received a 2.2 and went to the NCAA’s. This year we were at 1.7 and went home early.
We track this, of course, and you wouldn't believe the drop-off our team went through the last three years.

2021: 16-2, state semifinals, serve received at 2.11
2022: 9-9, state round of 16, serve received at 1.70
2023: 2-16, missed playoffs, serve received at 1.51 (absolutely brutal)

In 2021 we had several all-conference players who graduated. In 2022 we had two all-conference seniors, but one was a middle who did not serve receive, but they graduated, and in 2023, our passers were all sophomores with no previous varsity experience. And it showed. The good news is that two years from now we should be really good again but man this year was very, very bad.
 

canderson

Mr. Brightside
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
39,447
Harrisburg, Pa.
Hook ‘em! And Texas should be better next year too. I’m surmised they came together and won even with Skinner being a GOAT. Hell of a job! Light the tower:
 

Humphrey

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 3, 2010
3,163
BC hires Chris Watkins to coach the Women’s Soccer team. Watkins comes from
Gonzaga where he guided the Zags to their first ever conference title. (They’re with Santa Clara as well as Portland and Pepperdine)
On a soccer board, they have had a thread that has gone on for years ranting about the BC women's program starting with the dismissal of Alison Foley. Hope this turns their fortunes around.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
SoSH Member
Oct 31, 2013
72,567
On a soccer board, they have had a thread that has gone on for years ranting about the BC women's program starting with the dismissal of Alison Foley. Hope this turns their fortunes around.
It’s good I didn’t find that board or I would have done the same ranting.