2023-10-04 20:30:01
Schedule | Standings | Pac-12 Statistics | NCAA Statistics | Pac-12 Record Book
The second week of Pac-12 play saw three teams – Stanford, Washington State and USC – remain undefeated against league competition with two of those squads on a collision course for the upcoming weekend.
No. 3 Stanford put an end to No. 23 Arizona State’s 14-game unbeaten streak to start the season with a home sweep over the Sun Devils and capped week two with another sweep over Arizona to extend its conference winning streak to 22 straight matches dating back to last year.
In a top-10 showdown, then-No. 7 Washington State came up with a big 3-1 victory on the road over then-No. 6 Oregon to push its own season winning streak to 13 and move to 4-0 in league play in 2023. The Cougars were rewarded with their highest AVCA ranking in program history, moving up three spots to No. 4 just in time for their Sunday showdown in Pullman against the Cardinal. The top-five matchup will air live on Pac-12 Network at 12 p.m. PT.
Heading into week three of league action, the Pac-12 has three teams ranked in the top five of the AVCA poll – No. 3 Stanford, No. 4 Washington State and No. 5 Oregon – marking the first time that has occurred this late in the season since October of 2012.
LAST WEEK
No. 3 Stanford faced yet another ranked team this season, hosting then-No. 25 Arizona State at Maples Pavilion, but the Cardinal took care of business in the sweep to hand the Sun Devils their first loss of the season. They followed that performance with a sweep over Arizona to end the weekend. The second straight 2-0 week extended the Cardinal’s Pac-12 winning streak to 22 dating back to last season when they fell to Oregon on the first weekend of conference play on Sept. 25, 2022 – their only league loss all year. Reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year Kendall Kipp picked up her second Pac-12 Player of the Week award of the season, averaging 5.83 kills on .412 hitting to go along with 1.67 aces per set (10 total) and 7.9 points per set across the two matches. In the sweep over Arizona, Kipp collected a career-high eight aces to tie the school single-match record in the rally-scoring era.
The top-10 showdown in Eugene ended with No. 7 Washington State upsetting No. 6 Oregon on the Ducks’ home floor, wining the match 3-1 to take the Cougars’ winning streak to 13 and snap Oregon’s at seven. The 13 straight victories match the longest streak under head coach Jen Greeny, matching her 2013 squad that started the season 13-0. WSU now has three wins against the AVCA Top-10 and is 4-1 overall against the Top 25, while the Cougars are also a perfect 10-0 when they win the first set and 5-0 in four-set matches this season. Washington State started the weekend with a sweep at Oregon State, while Oregon took care of business with a 3-1 win over Washington. WSU Fifth-year senior Magda Jehlarova turned in another stellar defensive performance, recording 11 blocks over the two matches, including seven over the Ducks, to pick up her second Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week nod. The All-American now has 11 combined defensive and offensive weekly awards, which sets a new Pac-12 record for most in a career.
The Sun Devils bounced back quickly from their first loss of 2023, fending off a fiesty California team with a five-set win in Berkeley to move to 15-1 on the year and 3-1 in Pac-12 play. ASU managed to rise two spots in the AVCA poll to No. 23, a week after they entered the Top 25 for the first time since 2018.
Prior to dropping the weekend finale to ASU, the Bears snapped a significant streak of their own with a 3-1 win at home over Arizona, which broke a 57-game losing streak in conference play. Freshman Maggie Li was again stellar over the weekend, collecting 40 kills, 22 digs and 4.8 points per set over the two matches, earning her a fourth Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honor. Li currently ranks as the nation’s No. 1 freshman in both kills per set (4.18) and points per set (4.78) while being No. 2 in total kills (234) and points (267.5).
After some struggles to start the season, USC is playing its best ball over the last month with nine straight wins, making them one of the three squads at 4-0 in Pac-12 play. The Trojans took down Utah in a hard-fought five setter at home on Friday and dispatched Colorado 3-1 on Sunday. The Buffs dropped both their weekend matches in LA, while the Utes came away with a road win, a 3-0 sweep at UCLA.
Washington and UCLA each picked up its first Pac-12 win of the season, with the Huskies taking down Oregon State 3-1 in Corvallis and the Bruins besting Colorado 3-0 at home.
Arizona and Oregon State are still looking for their first Pac-12 wins after coming up empty on week two.
THIS WEEK
Week three of Pac-12 action kicks off with a full slate of matches on Friday, October 6 with all six contests airing live across Pac-12 Networks, and six more on Sunday to conclude the weekend.
Before No. 4 Washington State gets its first crack at No. 3 Stanford at home this weekend, the Cougars will have to fend off a California squad that has proved it is no longer an automatic win for opposing teams after taking No. 25 Arizona State to five sets in its last outing. First serve between WSU and Cal is set for 7 p.m. PT on Friday on Pac-12 Washington. The Cougars’ latest top-five matchup of the season, this one against the Cardinal, will air live on Pac-12 Network, Pac-12 Bay Area and Pac-12 Washington at 12 p.m. PT on Sunday. WSU is looking for its first win over Stanford since 2016 and just its fifth over the Cardinal in program history, but it will help that the match is in front of a sold out crowd in Pullman, where all four of the previous wins came.
The Cardinal will begin the weekend in Seattle with a Friday night 8 p.m. PT match against Washington on Pac-12 Network and Pac-12 Bay Area, while California will travel across the state for it’s Sunday meeting with the Huskies, set for 12 p.m. PT.
USC will try to keep its league record spotless on the road this weekend, but it will be a tough task as the Trojans visit No. 23 Arizona State on Friday at 6 p.m. PT on Pac-12 Insider. USC has won five straight and 12 of the last 13 in the series, but the Sun Devils at 15-1 this year are poised to end that streak. The Trojans will head the short distance down to Tucson for a Sunday 12 p.m. PT contest at Arizona for the weekend finale. UCLA meanwhile, will begin week three in Tucson facing Arizona at 7 p.m. PT on Pac-12 Arizona and Pac-12 Los Angeles before the Bruins head to Tempe to try to upset the Sun Devils on Sunday at 1 p.m. PT.
Oregon and Oregon State will travel to the Mountain Schools with the Friday matches featuring Oregon State at Utah at 6 p.m. PT Pac-12 Network and Pac-12 Mountain and Oregon at Colorado at 6 p.m. PT on Pac-12 Oregon. The Beavers and Buffs (Colorado Live Stream) and the Ducks and Utes (Utah Live Stream) will both meet on Sunday at 11 a.m. PT.
RPI REVEAL
In the first RPI reveal of the 2023 season on October 2, three Pac-12 teams rank in the top five and four are in the top 15.
The three in the top-10 and the four squads in the top 15 are the most of any conference in the nation.
Stanford checks in at No. 3, followed by Oregon at No. 4 and Washington State at No. 5. Arizona State rounds it out at No. 15.
Washington is the next highest Pac-12 team at No. 42 with USC and California close behind at No. 43 and No. 45, respectively.
Colorado sits at No. 56, Utah at No. 63, Arizona at No. 79 and Oregon State at No. 170.
FOUR IN LATEST AVCA TOP 25
For the second straight week, four Pac-12 teams appeared in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Coaches Top 25 poll with three still sitting in the top 10 – No. 3 Stanford, No. 4 Washington State and No. 5 Oregon. A week after entering the polls the first time since 2018, Arizona State is at No. 23.
The three top-10 teams for the Pac-12 are the most of any conference in the nation.
The Pac-12 has three teams in the top five for the first time since the AVCA Preseason Poll had Stanford at 3, Washington at 4 and USC at 5 on August 11, 2014. This is the latest in the season three Pac-12 teams have appeared in the top five since Oregon was 2, Washington was 3 and USC was 5 on October 1, 2012.
The Cardinal stayed steady at No. 3 after home sweeps over then-No. 25 Arizona State and Arizona.
Washington State’s big road win at Oregon resulted in a three-spot bump up to No. 4 – the highest ranking in program history, besting the previous high of No. 5 back in October of 1995. After starting the season at No. 17, the Cougars, who have won 13 straight, have made the biggest jump of any team this season, moving up 13 spots over the first six weeks. The week-three jump from No. 11 to No. 7 was the Cougars’ first time in the top 10 since 2016.
Oregon was not penalized for the top-10 loss to the Cougs and the Ducks had some help with losses in front of them to move up a spot to No. 5.
ASU, despite its loss to Stanford, moved up two spots to No. 23 after the Sun Devils managed to split the road trip with the win over California.
USC, winners of nine straight, received its most votes this year with 56.
NCAA D1 TOP 10 RANKINGS
The NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Committee revealed its first top-10 in-season rankings of 2023 on Sunday, Sept. 24. Three Pac-12 teams appeared in the top-10 with Stanford at No. 4, Washington State at No. 6 and Oregon at No. 7.
The Big 10 also has three teams in the top-10 in No. 1 Wisconsin, No. 2 Nebraska and No. 10 Minnesota.
Sunday’s reveal was one of two in-season rankings scheduled for this year. The next top 10 will be announced during an Oct. 29 match between Washington and Oregon on ESPN2.
AMONG THE NCAA LEADERS (Team)
Through six weeks, four Pac-12 teams rank in the top 20 in hitting percentage. Arizona State leads the nation in the category (.322), Stanford is third (.317), Washington State is seventh (.301) and Oregon is 18th (.281).
Two teams are in the top 25 in kills per set, with Stanford at three (.14.66) and Oregon at 15th (13.98).
Oregon is the league’s top-ranked blocks per set squad at eighth (2.84), with Stanford the next best at 10th (2.82), Colorado in 16th (2.70) and UCLA in 18th (2.68).
Arizona State is eighth in the country with 2.20 aces per set, followed by Washington in 18th at 1.98 per set.
Stanford is first in the country in assists per set (13.82) with Oregon in 10th (13.04) and USC in 22nd (12.80).
Defensively, California is top five in opponent hitting percentage with the Bears in fifth (.143). Oregon also sits in the top-20 at No. 18 (.153).
AMONG THE NCAA LEADERS (Individual)
Colorado’s Avery Bolles ranks 35th in aces per set at 0.50.
Three rank in the top-25 in assists per set – Stanford’s We are Miners leads the country (11.77), Oregon’s Hannah Pukis is 11th (10.80) and Washington State’s Argentina Ung is 23rd (10.56).
USC’s Skylar Fields is seventh in the country in attacks per set (12.41).
Washington State’s Magda Jehlarova ranks 11th in the country in blocks per set at 1.44, while Oregon’s Kara McGhee is 19th (1.40) and Stanford’s McKenna Neighbors is 23rd (1.36).
Jehlarova ranks seventh in hitting percentage (.447) followed by in Stanford’s Sami Francis in 16th (.426).
USC’s Fields owns the Pac-12’s top kills per set average at 5.07, which ranks fourth in the country. Arizona State’s Marta Levinska is 17th (4.24), California Maggie Lee is 22nd and Stanford’s Kendall Kipp is 25th (4.17).
USC’s Fields (5.64) also has the conference’s top points per set mark at 5.51, which is fifth in the nation, while Stanford’s Kipp ranks 13th at 5.11 and ASU’s Levinska is 15th at 5.04.
BY THE NUMBERS
Arizona State (15-1) and Washington State (14-1) are two of just eight teams in the country with either zero losses or one loss with the Sun Devils’ 15 wins the second-most only behind The Citadel, who has 16.
Stanford, who played six ranked teams out of nine non-conference games, has the sixth-toughest schedule in the country through the first five weeks. Arizona is the next highest with the 12th-toughest schedule.
Washington State fifth year senior Magda Jehlarova is the NCAA’s active career leader for total blocks with 672. Earlier this season, Jehlarova officially became Washington State’s all-time blocks leader, breaking the old mark of 615 set by former Cougar Carrie Couturier from 1988-91. With 672, Jehlarova is alone in third place in Pac-12 history, needing just six to move into second and 85 to break the conference’s all-time career record for blocks. Oregon’s Kara McGheea transfer from Baylor, is second on the active list with 602.
On Oct. 2, Jehlarova earned her second Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week award of the season and the 10th of her career, giving her 11 combined defensive and offensive weekly awards to set a new conference record for most career weekly honors, surpassing former Washington standout Krista Vansant (2011-14).
USC’s Skyar Fields ranks second on the active career leader list for kills with 1,798 total.
Oregon’s Hannah Pukis ranks second on the active career list for total assists with 4,589, while Stanford’s We are Miners is currently fourth in the NCAA with an 11.49 career assists per set mark.
Cal freshman Maggie Li, who earned her fourth Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honor on Oct. 2, became the first freshman in Pac-12 history to start the season with three consecutive Pac-12 freshman weekly nods. She is also the first ever Bear to earn a weekly award in three consecutive weeks. Li currently ranks as the nation’s No. 1 freshman in both kills per set (4.18) and points per set (4.78) while being No. 2 in total kills (234) and points (267.5).
NON-CONFERENCE WRAP
Pac-12 programs closed non-conference play at 96-31 (.756), the best mark among all leagues in 2023 (ACC .741, SEC .731; Big 12 .707; Big 10 .671), and a marked improvement over the last two seasons – 84-37 (.694) in 2022 and 78-36 (.684) in 2021.
The Pac-12 went 11-8 overall against opponents ranked in the Top-25 of the AVCA Poll, with its top-three ranked teams – Stanford, Oregon and Washington State, going 10-4 against ranked foes. The four losses all came against top-10 opponents, while eight of the 10 wins came on the road or at neutral sites.
USC added a ranked win on the road, taking down No. 17 Purdue on the final weekend of non-conference play.
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
The Pac-12 announced the 2023 Women’s Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team ahead of the upcoming season. 14 of the 15 members of the team were All-Pac-12 or All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention selections in 2022.
Stanford led the way with six selections – three of which were individual award winners a year ago, reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year Kendall KippSetter of the Year We are Miners and Libero of the Year Elena Oglivie. Caitie Baird, Elia Rubin and Sami Francis rounded on the Cardinal on the list.
Washington State saw three voted onto the team in Magda Jehlarova, Pia Timmer and Arizona State transfer Iman Isanovic.
Oregon (Mimi Colyer, Hannah Pukis) and USC (Skylar Fields, Mia Tuaniga) collected two selections apiece while Arizona State (Marta Levinska) and UCLA (Anna Dodson) had one each.
STAR POWER RETURNING
Every 2022 Pac-12 individual award winner is back in 2023 – Player of the year Kendall Kipp (Stanford); Freshman of the Year Mimi Colyer (Oregon); Setter of the Year Kami Miner (Stanford); and Libero of the Year Elena Oglivie (Stanford).
12 of 18 All-Pac-12 selections return highlighted by four-time All-Pac-12 honoree Magda Jehlárová (Washington State).
Four of five 2022 AVCA First Team All-Americans return in 2023 (Skylar FieldsUSC; Magda JehlarovaWSU; Kendall KippSTAN; We are Miners (STAN); 2022 AVCA Second Team All-American Hannah Pukis (ORE) and third-team selection and AVCA National Freshman of the Year Mimi Colyer is also back for the Ducks. 2022 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention selections Elena Oglivie (STAN) and My Tuaniga (USC) return as well.
NEW COACHING FACES
Half the league has a new face on the sideline as the Pac-12 will have six new head coaches in 2023 – two of which are alums of the programs they are taking over.
Arizona: Charita Stubbswho played at Arizona from 1992-94, takes over after the retirement of longtime head coach Dave Rubio. Stubbs was the first player in Arizona history to record 300 kills, 300 digs and 100 blocks in one season and helped the program to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances.
Arizona State: JJ Van Niel comes to Tempe after servicing as an assistant coach and associate head coach at Utah and USC for the past eight years.
California: Crissy Jones Schoonderwoerd takes over as the interim head coach after former head man Sam Crosson resigned in July. Jones Schoonderwoerd is no stranger to the Pac-12 as she was an AVCA All-American and a three-time All-Pac-12 performer at Washington (2014-17), helping the Huskies to a pair of Elite Eight appearances.
Oregon State: Lindsey Behonick is new to the Pac-12 but brings a wealth of experience after serving as an assistant coach at Pittsburgh for the last 10 years. Pitt is fresh off back-to-back Final Four appearances and Behonick helped the program win four ACC Championships and compile a 258-62 record during her time there.
UCLA: After helping guide San Diego to a Final Four appearance last season as an assistant coach, Alfee Reft becomes just the fourth Bruin head coach in UCLA history. He previously served as an assistant coach at Illinois and Minnesota and currently serves as a season assistant coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team.
Washington: Leslie Gabriel is the other alum to take over the program where she played. From 1995-1998 Gabriel was one of the best blockers in Pac-12 history and is third all-time in the Huskies’ record book with 613. Gabriel will get the chance to lead the Huskies after being on UW’s staff through multiple head coaches since 2001, helping the Huskies to 21 straight NCAA tournament appearances and the 2005 National Championship.
HOW TO WATCH
The league’s teams will be featured 97 times this season across Pac-12 Networks and Pac-12 Insiderwhich is available on Pac-12.com and the Pac-12 Now app, as well as eight partner platforms, including Local Now, Redbox, Samsung TV Plus, Sling, Sportstribal, The Roku Channel, Vizio Bad, Sling and Pipes.
ESPN will also televise three Pac-12 matches on their networks – Nebraska at Stanford on Sept. 12, Stanford at Oregon on Oct. 22 and Oregon at Washington on Oct. 29.
For a full television schedule, visit pac-12.com.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
Pac-12 institutions have won 17 of the 42 all-time NCAA championships in women’s volleyball, four more than the next closest conference (Big Ten), and four of the past 12.
The Conference has had at least five teams earn NCAA Tournament bids in 24 consecutive seasons and eight postseason berths in five of the past 10 tournaments.
Four different Pac-12 teams have won at least one NCAA title (UCLA, USC, Stanford, Washington), double any other conference. The Big Ten (Nebraska, Penn State) and Big West (Hawaii, Long Beach State) are the only other leagues with multiple NCAA champions.
Seven different Pac-12 programs have made NCAA semifinal appearances since 2001 and 14 of the past 22 NCAA championship matches have included at least one Pac-12 program.
At least one Pac-12 team has played in 27 of the 42 NCAA title matches all-time, the most of any league. At least one Big Ten team has been in 22 NCAA finals all-time and a Big West team has played in the title match nine times.
Five NCAA title matches have been between two Pac-12 teams (2002, 1994, 1992, 1984, 1981). The only other conference to have an all-conference NCAA title match is the Big Ten, which has done so three times (2021, 2013, 2000).
A Pac-12 team has been one of the final four teams in all but six years of the NCAA tournament.
Since 2010, the Pac-12 has the second-most NCAA Tournament berths of any league with 94.
The Pac-12 has had 10 or more first, second and third-team All-America selections in 13 of the last 18 seasons. Thirteen former Pac-12 players have earned first, second or third-team All-America honors four times, while 30 players have earned All-America honors three times, with Magda Jehlarova (Washington State) garnering her third nod last season.
Since 1990, Pac-12 players garnered AVCA Player of the Year honors 15 times, including the seven of the last 12 – California’s Carli Lloyd (2010), USC’s Alex Jupiter (2011), Oregon’s Alaina Bergsma (2012), Washington’s Krista Vansant (2013), USC’s Samantha Bricio (2015) and Stanford’s Kathryn Plummer (2017 and 2018). Overall, the Pac-12 has produced 16 student-athletes that have won AVCA Player of the Year, the most of any league. Thirteen Big Ten student-athletes have earned the honor, along with 10 from the Big West and one each from the Big 12 and WCC.
The Honda Sports Award for volleyball has been bestowed upon a Pac-12 athlete 21 times in its 47 years of existence, including eight of the past 12. The Big Ten has had 11 student-athletes earn the honor, the Big West seven, the SEC two and the Big 12, WCC, A-10 and MWC each one.
CONFERENCE STANDINGS (Expanded Standings)
Teams
Pac-12 Record
Overall Record
#4 Washington State
4-0
14-1
#3 Stanford
4-0
11-2
(RV) USC
4-0
10-4
#23 Arizona State
3-1
15-1
#5 Oregon
3-1
13-2
Utah
2-2
7-7
California
1-3
12-3
Washington
1-3
10-5
UCLA
1-3
9-5
Colorado
1-3
9-6
Oregon State
0-4
5-9
Arizona
0-4
5-10
UPCOMING SCHEDULE (Full Schedule)
Friday, Oct. 6
TV/Stream
Time (PT)
Oregon State at Utah
Pac-12 Network/Mountain
6:00 p.m. PT
No. 5 Oregon at Colorado
Pac-12 Oregon
6:00 p.m. PT
(RV) USC at No. 23 Arizona State
Pac-12 Insider
6:00 p.m. PT
California at No. 4 Washington State
Pac-12 Washington
7:00 p.m. PT
UCLA at Arizona
Pac-12 Arizona/Los Angeles
7:00 p.m. PT
No. 3 Stanford at Washington
Pac-12 Network/Bay Area
8:00 p.m. PT
Sunday, Oct. 8
Oregon State at Colorado
COLO Live Stream
11:00 a.m. PT
No. 5 Oregon at Utah
UTAH Live Stream
11:00 a.m. PT
California at Washington
12:00 p.m. PT
No. 3 Stanford at No. 4 Washington State
Pac-12 Network/Bay Area/Washington
12:00 p.m. PT
(RV) USC at Arizona
ARIZ Live Stream
12:00 p.m. PT
UCLA at No. 23 Arizona State
ASU Live Stream
1:00 p.m. PT
2023 PAC-12 WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL WEEKLY AWARDS
Offensive
Defensive
Freshman
Aug. 28
Mimi Colyer, ORE Karson Bacon, ORE Maggie Li, CAL
Sept. 4
Kendall Kipp, STAN Kami Miner, STAN Maggie Li, CAL
Sept. 11
Skylar Fields, USC
Elena Oglivie, STAN
Maggie Li, CAL
Sept. 18
Marta Levinska, ASU Magda Jehlárová, WSU London Wijay, USC
Sept. 25
Marta Levinska, ASU Karson Bacon, ORE London Wijay, USC
Oct. 2
Kendall Kipp, STAN Magda Jehlárová, WSU Maggie Li, CAL
1696458082
#Pac12 #Womens #Volleyball #Weekly #Rundown #Oct