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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2015 17:02:16 GMT -5
I've had this question in mind the past couple years. I'm looking for some insight and discussion.
Looking back at previous undefeated national champions, which would you consider the best team and why?
Considering, of course, if they could play against each other who would win it all.
I have gathered some stats from each team which I could post, if you all like.
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Post by traveler on Oct 26, 2015 17:08:26 GMT -5
yes, please. i'm lazy...!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2015 17:10:11 GMT -5
yes, please. i'm lazy...! I have USC and Penn State, need to put the other teams together in a nice readable format. Give me a couple hours, I'm still at work. :-) |
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Post by seeyajohn on Oct 26, 2015 20:01:26 GMT -5
The 2008 team had four players on the team who were on the roster of this year's U.S. National World Cup Team. They went through the entire regular season without losing a set. In the semi-finals, when pressed by Nebraska in front of a roaring Nebraska fan base, they came through.
They are, hands down, my nominee as the best.
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Post by psumaui on Oct 26, 2015 20:32:30 GMT -5
No question it's the 2008 Penn State team! In the NCAA's they had 6 AA's on court at one time!! To compare them on the court to the 2009 Penn State team all you have to do is watch the videos of mine on YouTube.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2015 22:02:37 GMT -5
 OK, here are the stats for the 2000 Nebraska team. I tried long and hard to find stats for the 1998 Long Beach team but to no avail. Stats for the Big West Conference only go back to 2004 on their website. Trivia: Penn State lost to Long Beach in the '98 final. It was the 2nd of 3 consecutive appearances by PSU in the NCAA finals. PSU came close; the match went to 5 sets. Misty May-Treanor, the Olympic Beach VB Gold Medalist, was the setter on that LB team. Long Beach was in NCAA final 4 times during the decade beginning in 1989. They won 3 and lost 1 under coach Brian Gimmillaro. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2015 22:11:52 GMT -5
Although I'm picking the 2008 PSU team—they had a record hitting % of .390 and opp. hitting % of .089; I personally cannot help thinking that the 2003 USC team would have really given them a run for the money, more so than Nebraska did in 2008. Would really love to see them play à la "Field of Dreams."
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Post by nyline on Oct 27, 2015 5:29:36 GMT -5
Although I'm picking the 2008 PSU team—they had a record hitting % of .390 and opp. hitting % of .089; I personally cannot help thinking that the 2003 USC team would have really given them a run for the money, more so than Nebraska did in 2008. Would really love to see them play à la "Field of Dreams." 8M: It certainly would be a great match, but I'd take the 2008 Nittany Lions. They have by far the fewest sets lost of any NCAA Final Four team since 1998. Here's a link to a chart showing the records of all those teams: Pursuit of Perfection: Won-Lost Records (Matches and Sets) — NCAA Final Four Teams from 1998 to 2014
(USC is tied for third with 1998 Long Beach State -- I've never been able to find their in-depth stats either-- and 2009 Penn State; second place, with six losses, is 1998 Penn State, which lost in the Finals to Long Beach State.)
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Post by stillkicking on Oct 27, 2015 7:56:24 GMT -5
With out a doubt the 2008 lions are the best team ever they steamrolled the competition the only hiccup was against Nebraska when they fell asleep in set's 3 and 4
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Post by traveler on Oct 27, 2015 8:12:38 GMT -5
i think of some of the intangibles in my vote for 2009. very hard to stay on top, and happens how often (?) in NCAA DI VB. i think it took a huge amount of character ... not just talent, not just awards ... to resist all those urges to relax, to think you're destined, i remember Karch's broadcast in 2007 when he believed Stanford was destined...to the point that he really did not bother to learn the names of the PSU players. Loads of talent and awards there for Stanford, but it was not enough.
But how can you argue against any of the 2007-10 PSU?
Incidentally, i also remember (Karch) in the 2008 finals saying something about PSU scores being 25 across the board. Actually, Thanksgiving 2008, OSU almost made history:
Nov. 28, 2008
Final Stats
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The top-ranked Penn State women's volleyball team swept Ohio State in three games (25-20, 25-12, 30-28) Friday night in Columbus, Ohio. The Nittany Lions improve to 31-0 and 19-0 in the Big Ten while the Buckeyes fall to 12-19 and 3-16 in league action. Three Lion players reached double-digit kills...
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2015 8:25:28 GMT -5
i think of some of the intangibles in my vote for 2009. very hard to stay on top, and happens how often (?) in NCAA DI VB. i think it took a huge amount of character ... not just talent, not just awards ... to resist all those urges to relax, to think you're destined, i remember Karch's broadcast in 2007 when he believed Stanford was destined...to the point that he really did not bother to learn the names of the PSU players. Loads of talent and awards there for Stanford , but it was not enough. I think one thing I was definitely looking to get out of this thread is the intangibles, like Traveler mentioned above. Sometimes, the stats, scores, and set wins don't tell the complete story. For instance, in each of those years where the NC winner went undefeated how touch was the competition in the regular season of that teams respective conference? Are teams/players/coaching getting better? Its funny how there were no undefeated teams from 1981 to 1997, then in 12 years we have 5. It's like the 4 minute mile barrier, as soon as someone finally broke the record in 1954 then even high school kids were breaking it. |
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Post by traveler on Oct 27, 2015 8:50:37 GMT -5
I find geography to be an interesting factor in all this.
From 1981-87, the champion was from no further east than California.
1988 Texas
1989-94 California or west
95 Nebraska (actually, Texas is further east...)
96-98 California...
99 Penn State...FIRST TIME VOLLEYBALL SHOWN TO EXIST EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI!!
And the 2008 team, that's getting all the votes on this poll, had PENNSYLVANIANS! and only 1 player from west of the Mississippi (Quillico).
it strikes me as so much easier to be great in California. . . Which makes PSU even more impressive.
As time goes on and Al invented the Internet and all, and women get to fly everywhere, i'd argue geography is diminishing as the factor it once was. But still, PSU stands alone on this side of the nation.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2015 9:45:14 GMT -5
I find geography to be an interesting factor in all this. From 1981-87, the champion was from no further east than California. 1988 Texas 1989-94 California or west 95 Nebraska (actually, Texas is further east...) 96-98 California... 99 Penn State...FIRST TIME VOLLEYBALL SHOWN TO EXIST EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI!! And the 2008 team, that's getting all the votes on this poll, had PENNSYLVANIANS! and only 1 player from west of the Mississippi (Quillico). it strikes me as so much easier to be great in California. . . Which makes PSU even more impressive. As time goes on and Al invented the Internet and all, and women get to fly everywhere, i'd argue geography is diminishing as the factor it once was. But still, PSU stands alone on this side of the nation. Nice! Russ Rose struck gold with that 2008 class, although not all players were from PA. Fawcett was from OH, Glass from MI, Hodge from NC, Brown from VA, and Wilson from IL. Harmotto was from PA and I think was the heart and soul of that team. Lots of good players on the East coast back then, I believe, would go and play out West, as East coast schools were not know for their VB programs. That is until Russ put PSU on the map. I think it's interesting that you mentioned "PSU stand alone on this side of the nation." Reminded me of an article I read a while back with some nice quotes from NE coach John Cook, "'Penn State has some big advantages in recruiting,' Cook said. 'Penn State can recruit nationally with its reputation and five NCAA titles in the past seven years. With few great programs on the East Coast, Penn State gets many of the top players there.' Only three players on the current roster are from Pennsylvania, with two each from New Jersey and New York. 'Their advantage is they own the East Coast, and they get to recruit Big Ten territory,' Cook said. 'They have a huge recruiting base, and they get the top kids from all those areas.'” You can read the article in its entirety: CLICK HEREBest Cook quote from the article, which had me laughing was this: "'When (Hancock) played Wisconsin, she sent (Wisconsin sophomore setter Lauren Carlini) a message, like, ‘You aren’t the queen bee here,’” Cook said. 'That was personal. I hope she doesn't have anything personal with us.'” |
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Post by bob2061 on Oct 27, 2015 9:58:34 GMT -5
The 208 Penn State team was the best of the best. They would take turns at getting the most kills and blocks.
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