Beyond the Powerhouses: Six Overlooked Teams to Watch in NCAA Volleyball

Week after week we see the list of the top 25 teams in NCAA volleyball. The list holds its fair share of the Big10, ACC, and SEC, but how about everyone else? Let’s take a look at the top teams from five conferences who don’t receive as much love and attention but should be on your watchlist as we get closer to the tournament.

American Athletic Conference (AAC): South Florida kick-started their season with two MAJOR five-set upsets over Florida and Ohio State. Since then, they have built a strong resume being 7-1 in conference play. One thing is for sure, these bulls mean business and are ready to fight for their spot in the tournament!

Conference USA (CUSA): UTEP and WKU have both dominated the game going undefeated so far during conference play. The two are set to face each other during back-to-back matches this weekend on UTEP’s home court to determine who is the top dog of CUSA and likely who will be chosen for the NCAA tournament.

Patriot League: After an extremely difficult preseason facing South Carolina, Duke, Kansas, and others Colgate was well prepared to dominate the first half of their conference play. The Raiders have been selected for the NCAA tournament three years in a row and their domination continues as they currently lead the league with a 7-1 record. If they keep it up, don’t be shocked to see their name called during the selection show yet again on December 1st.

Ivy League: The New Haven Bulldogs are on a hot streak. After sneaking their way into the tournament the past two years, they are on track to do it again. With a sparkling 7-0 record during conference play, Yale continues their streak of domination in the Ivy League. Led by sophomore Betsy Goodenow averaging 3.43 k/s we will see if they can extend their season beyond the first round of the tournament this year.

Horizon League: Wright State has their foot on the gas owning an impressive 8-1 conference play record. This team has punched their ticket to the tournament four out of the last five years and knows what it takes to win. With Milwaukee just one match behind can Wright State keep the fire going till the end of November?