FInal 4 VB: 2 ACC teams in, Big Surprise-No B10 or Pac12 for

the first time ever did not put even one team in the Final 4. Since the NCAA WVB tournament started in 1981, every year there has been at least 1 Big 10 or PAC12 team in the Final 4. In fact the PAC12 had made 36 F4s of the previous 41 tourneys and until this year had never missed 2 years in a row. The Pac 12 has had 7 of their 12 teams make at least one final 4 and have accounted for 17 of the 41 titles from 4 different schools (Stanford, UCLA, USC, & UW).

The Big 10 was also a mainstay as they had made 31 of the previous 41 tourneys. Then if you grandfather Nebraska's Big 8/12 existence as a current Big 10 school (since they came into the B10 in 2010), a Big 10 school was in at least one Final 4 every year since 1986. The Big 10 has had 8 different schools make the Final 4 and accounted for 13 of the 41 titles including all 5 of Nebraska's titles (3rd overall) with only 2 that were while in the Big 10. Stanford is #1 with 9 titles while Penn state is second with 7. Wisconsin became the 3rd Big 10 school to get a title last year.

Obviously this year they were still strong as 4 of the 8 quarterfinal teams were from the PAC12 and Big 10 Yet all 4 lost, including 2 as 1 seeds at home (Stanford and Wisconsin). So until this year's shutout, there has been only 1 year that only 1 PAC12/Big 10 (including Nebraska) had only 1 team make it in the Final 4 (1993). But the following year in 94 for the 1st time all 4 were from the two conferences (Champ Stanford, UCLA, PSU, & tOSU).

In fact those conferences had all 4 spots again in 2004, 06, & 07. The other 36 tourneys there were either 2 or 3 Pac12/Big10 teams in the Final 4. Before this year, the teams from these 2 conferences had accounted for 62.2% of the Final 4 slots and 73.2% of the championships. The other Power 5 conferences have had only 2 teams with 3 championships (SEC-Kentucky-2020 & Big 12-Texas-1988/2012). The other 8 NCs came from beach schools of Hawaii, Pacific, & Long Beach State but none of those this century.

So the ACC is the only Power 5 conference with no championships but is finally coming on strong. This is the 2nd year in a row that the ACC has 2 teams in the WVB F4 as both L'ville and Pittsburgh made the Final 4 last year which was their 1st for both of them. Neither made the championship match as Wisconsin and Nebraska beat them, but since they made it again this year and play each other in the semis, the ACC will get there 1st team ever in the championship match. The only other ACC team to even make a Final 4 prior was FSU in 2011.

The favorite will have still be the only one with any history, #1 seed Texas (14 F4s/2 NCs) as they also will be closest to Omaha where it is being held. They won in 4 sets over 3 seed tOSU. Still L'ville is the other top seed who was tested by the 3 seeded Oregon Ducks who pushed them to 5 sets after the Ducks had beaten Nebraska in 5 sets. 2 Seed Pitt beat #1 seed Wisconsin and 2 seeded San Diego took 5 sets to beat #1 seed Stanford. They are in their 1st Final 4 and get to play Texas.

Hopefully success by either Pitt or L'Ville will lead to more opportunities for ND as another ACC school. Certainly a strong Volleyball conference has served the PAC12 and Big 10 over the years so hope it is now starting in the ACC.