NCAA Tournament Round One Power Matchup

San Diego, led by West Coast Conference (WCC) Player of the Year Nemo Beach and Setter of the Year Kylie Munday, has just received the eighth seed in this year’s NCAA Women’s Volleyball tournament. Guided by Coach of the Year Jennifer Petrie, San Diego is on an 18-game winning streak and recently won the conference championship after going undefeated in conference play.

This team, composed of five all-conference players, is the modern-day mid-major Avengers. Their dominance led them to be ranked 30th on the NCAA’s ranked power index (RPI); however, they have yet to defeat their largest foe: a ranked opponent. The Toreros are 7-4 in non-conference matches and fell to ranked Creighton and Southern California earlier this season, but pushed USC to five sets. San Diego’s undefeated season in the WCC is one for the record books, but how will this translate to the tournament? Competition in a mid-major conference like the WCC is not even comparable to the “End Game” level threats they will face in the NCAA tournament. If they hope to advance far in the tournament, they will have to beat Kansas State, a Big 12 school.

You may look at San Diego’s record and accolades and think this game will be a breeze for them, but I would not sleep on Kansas State.

Kansas State may not have been as consistent throughout the season as the San Diego Avengers, but their season is anything but mediocre. You see, Kansas State is part of the Big 12, one of the power four conferences. The Big 12 is home to ten tournament teams this year, like #2 seed Arizona State, and has proven to be a powerhouse. Going undefeated or even ranking top three in a conference like this is a difficult feat for any team, even the San Diego Avengers. Kansas State finished their season eighth in their conference after going 10-8 in conference play and 17-9 overall, but their wins have been huge. Moreover, Kansas State achieved what San Diego could never have and defeated a ranked opponent in North Carolina, as well as Kansas, Iowa State, and Colorado, all teams that later qualified for the tournament. To add to this, they have to constantly play top 50 RPI teams as regular conference games.

Although Big 12 end of season awards have not been announced, Kansas State has some super seniors. The Wildcats are led by a trio of seniors, Outside Hitter Shaylee Myers, Setter Ava LeGrand, and Middle Blocker Brenna Schmidt. These players combine for 9.56 points per set, with Shaylee Myers contributing 4.76 kills per set and Ava Legrand providing 10.7 assists per set. These stats are astronomical for any class, but this is their last chance to advance through the tournament. This is their last stand. Kansas State’s senior superpowers can defeat the San Diego Avengers.