Mira Djuric and Florida State are the No. 3 national seed

The complete 64-team field for the 2009 NCAA Championship was announced this afternoon. For a printable version of the bracket, click here. The best way to follow the action throughout the tournament will be with NCAA.com's interactive bracket - which features live scoring of all matches, as well as links for audio and video coverage. You can view the interactive bracket here. Now let's get to some initial reaction to the bracket ...

WHO GOT IN AND WHO DIDN'T?

The three power conferences led the way in number of berths, as expected. The Pac-10 - which currently has seven teams ranked in the top 20 - saw eight of its 10 members qualify for the tournament, while the Big Ten and Big 12 have six teams each in the field. The surprise was that the ACC - which has just one team (Florida State) that has cracked the AVCA poll (which has no bearing on NCAA selections) this season - garnered five invitations, including three that went to teams outside of the RPI top 45 (Miami, Georgia Tech and Clemson). The SEC came next with four teams in the field, while there are three teams each from the BIG EAST and Mountain West. Five other leagues - Conference USA, the Atlantic 10, Big West, Missouri Valley and Sun Belt - had two teams in the field. All other conferences had just one qualifier. One particularly noteworthy member of that group is the West Coast Conference, which had four different teams ranked in the AVCA poll at some point during the season - but got just its league champ (Saint Mary's) into the tournament.

The way it worked out, every team listed 43rd or higher in the most-recent RPI (which was released on Monday and only included results through Sunday, Nov. 22) made the field. There were six teams with an RPI lower than 43rd that did garner at-large bids:

UC Santa Barbara - 46
Miami - 47
Oklahoma - 48
Georgia Tech - 50
Washington State - 53
Clemson - 57

So here is a list of the non-qualifiers that were listed in the RPI above at least one team that did earn an at-large berth:

Pittsburgh - 44
North Dakota State - 45
Furman - 49
Missouri State - 51
Delaware - 52
South Florida - 54
Purdue - 55 (not eligible for at-large selection - did not have an overall winning record)
Kansas - 56

Two other noteworthy omissions from the field were San Diego and UC Irvine, both of whom were ranked in the AVCA poll for much of the season. USD was ranked in the first 12 AVCA polls of the season, peaking at 15th early on, before falling out two weeks ago. The Toreros are still listed as the third team receiving votes outside of the top 25 - but finished second in the WCC and were just 60th in the RPI. UC Irvine was ranked for nine weeks during the season, peaking at 18th, and remains the sixth team outside of the top 25. The Anteaters tied for second in the Big West and were just 69th in the RPI. There were also five other teams that appeared in the AVCA top 25 at some point early on this season, but did not make the field: Purdue (55th in RPI), Pepperdine (72nd), Utah (75th), Santa Clara (97th) and Kansas State (107th).

WHO'S BEEN HERE BEFORE?
The biggest story of this year's tournament is probably Penn State's quest to become the first school ever to win three consecutive NCAA titles. Since the event began in 1981, six different teams - Hawai'i in 1982 and '83, Pacific in '85 and '86, UCLA in '90 and '91, Stanford in '96 and '97, USC in 2002 and 2003 and Penn State in '07 and '08 - have won back-to-back titles, but the other five have failed in their quest for a third straight championship. In fact, the only school from that group to reach the title match in their attempt for a three-peat was UCLA, which fell in four sets to Stanford in 1992.

In all, nine of the 10 schools that have previously won the NCAA championship will be in the field with chances to add to their trophy cases. Stanford (No. 4 seed, 1st/2nd round host, regional host) leads the way with six NCAA titles - as well as seven runner-up finishes (including in each of the last three years). There are six schools that have won three titles will be looking for No. 4 this year: Hawai'i (No. 12 seed, at USC for 1st/2nd round), Long Beach State (at UCLA for 1st/2nd round), Nebraska (No. 10 seed, 1st/2nd round host), Penn State (No. 1 seed, 1st/2nd round host), UCLA (No. 8 seed, 1st/2nd round host) and USC (1st/2nd round host). Particularly noteworthy is that two of those three-time champions - Long Beach State (winners in 1989, '93 and '98) and UCLA (champions in 1984, '90 and '91) - will face off in the first round in Los Angeles. Two other teams in the field are former champions: Texas (No. 2 seed, 1st/2nd round host) and Washington (No. 6 seed, 1st/2nd round host). The only former champion not in the field is Pacific (champs in 1985 and '86; 129th in RPI this season).

Special congratulations go out to the five teams who will make their first-ever appearance in the DI tournament: Army, IPFW, Niagara, Northern Colorado and TCU. All of those garnered entry via automatic bids except for the Horned Frogs - who earned an at-large bid.

Two schools are returning to the NCAA tournament for the first time in more than a decade, as New Mexico garnered an at-large bid for its first appearance since 1994 and Coastal Carolina, the Big South Conference champ, does so for the first time since '98. Other schools that return to the tournament for the first time in at least five years are Baylor (last appearance was 2001), Florida State (2002), Miami (2002), Washington State (2002), George Mason (2003), Penn (2003) and Georgia Tech (2004). Two teams that have had some success in the NCAAs over the years - Arizona and Texas A&M - will be in the field for the first time since 2005. The Wildcats make their 22nd overall appearance and have a 26-21 all-time mark in the tournament, while the Aggies are 21-17 and make their 18th trip.

It should be noted that Penn State and Stanford remain as the only schools to have qualified for all 29 NCAA Championships. The Cardinal also holds the NCAA tournament records for all-time victories (92), winning percentage (.800), championships (6), championship-match appearances (14) and semifinal appearances (18).

Not only are all eight quarterfinalists from last year in the 2009 field, but all of them have earned national seedings. Of the final 16 from a year ago, all but three are back this season, with Purdue, Utah and Western Michigan missing the '09 tournament.

WHAT ABOUT THE SEEDING AND OPENING-WEEKEND HOSTS?
The Pac-10 also leads the way with five seeded teams, but only two of those squads were rewarded with the opportunity to play host to opening-weekend play. The Big Ten has four seeded teams, while the Big 12 boasts three and the SEC has a pair (though two other SEC squads also will host).

The biggest story among the seeding is certainly the respect given to Florida State, which is the No. 3 overall seed in the tournament despite being ranked 14th in the AVCA poll, making its first NCAA appearance since 2002 and holding a 1-10 all-time record in the NCAAs. But the Seminoles are 28-2 on the season, with both of their defeats coming in five-set affairs (at Florida and vs. Georgia Tech), and are riding a 16-match winning streak and have been second or third in every version of the RPI released this season. FSU is the only seeded team that didn't make the NCAA tournament a year ago.

On the flip side, Hawai'i, which stands 28-2 on the season, has won 24 in a row and has been ranked No. 3 in the AVCA poll for the last month and a half. But the Rainbow Wahine is just 22nd in the RPI and ended up being seeded 12th despite having three-set victories over two higher-seeded teams (No. 4 Stanford and No. 8 UCLA). Further, UH does not even get to play host to opening-weekend action, instead having to travel to USC (25th in RPI; 16th in AVCA).

Stanford - which was sixth in both the AVCA poll and RPI - earned the No. 4 seed over Illinois (4th in RPI; 5th in AVCA) and Washington (5th in RPI; 4th in AVCA).

In all, there will be five unseeded teams who will play host to first- and second-round action. Kentucky (21st in RPI; 10th in AVCA) did not garner a national seed, but will be an early-round host. Oregon is one of the teams traveling to Lexington and was seeded 14th, despite trailing UK in both the RPI (26th) and AVCA poll (18th). Another Pac-10 seeded team traveling next weekend is Washington (seeded 6th; 5th in RPI; 4th in AVCA), which heads to Colorado State (18th in RPI; 23rd in AVCA). The other Pac-10 seeded squad traveling is California (seedec 9th; 8th in RPI; 11th in AVCA), which heads to Ohio State (31st in RPI). Tennessee (19th in the RPI) will also serve as a host next weekend, with Minnesota (13th in the RPI; 13th in the AVCA) heading to Knoxville.

As it turned out, all of the top 13 teams in the RPI earned national seeds, and they were joined by Florida (seeded 16th; 16th in RPI), Hawai'i (seeded 12th; 22nd in RPI) and Oregon (seeded 14th; 26th in RPI). Out of the top 22 in the RPI, all but four teams garnered a national seed and/or the opportunity to host early-round action. Those that were left out were Notre Dame (14th in RPI; at Michigan for 1st/2nd rounds), Florida International (15th in RPI; at Florida for 1st/2nd rounds), Arizona (17th in RPI; at LSU for 1st/2nd rounds) and Northern Iowa (20th in RPI; at Nebraska for 1st/2nd rounds).

SOME INTERESTING FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS
Upon initially seeing the bracket, here are a few first-round matches that caught my eye:
• (9) California vs. Lipscomb - Not only do the Golden Bears have to travel to Columbus, Ohio, for the opening weekend, but they will have one of the biggest first-round tests of any seeded team. The Lady Bisons are 28-3, have won 25 in a row and are 34th in the RPI.
• Long Beach State at (8) UCLA - There's nothing like a pair of schools that have won three NCAA titles apiece squaring off in the opening round. The Beach, champs of the Big West, is 36th in the RPI.
• Notre Dame vs. Ohio - Notre Dame, at 14th, was the team with the highest RPI that did not earn a national seed. Instead the Fighting Irish are forced to take on the MAC-champion Bobcats in what will be the only first-round match between top-25 RPI squads (OU is 24th).
• Duke at Tennessee - Another great matchup of high-RPI teams. The Lady Vols are 19th, while the Blue Devils are 27th - and both will be taking part in one of the toughest opening-weekend sites. All four teams are among the top 37 in the RPI.
• (13) Minnesota vs. Louisville - The Gophers, fresh off a sweep of fifth-ranked and fifth-seeded Illinois on Saturday, have to travel to Knoxville for the opening weekend, and will face BIG EAST champion Louisville (38th in the RPI) in the opening round.
• Middle Tennessee at Colorado State - Two conference champions who have had great seasons match up. CSU is 18th in the RPI and was tops in the Mountain West. MTSU is 30th in the RPI and won the Sun Belt.
• Saint Louis vs. Wichita State - The opening-round matchup between teams that are closest to each other in RPI (as well as a pair of conference runners-up). The Billikens, ranked 22nd by the AVCA, are 29th and the Shockers come in at 28th.
• Tulane at (15) LSU - After winning their first SEC championship since 1991 this week, the Tigers were swept by Conference USA champion Rice on Friday. Now LSU begins the NCAAs against another C-USA squad, Tulane - which is 32nd in the RPI.

LOOKING AHEAD ...
A few observations about possible future matchups as the tournament progresses:

• Penn State has beaten Cal en route to each of its last two championships (semifinals in '07; quarterfinals in '08) and could face the Golden Bears again this season, in the quarterfinals.
• Penn State could potentially face Florida in the round of 16, and the match would be in Gainesville.
• Penn State and Stanford have met in each of the last two NCAA finals, but that cannot happen this season - as they would meet in the semifinals.
• Eighth-seeded UCLA and ninth-seeded Cal could play in the round of 16. The Bruins beat the Bears in four sets twice this season.
• It could be the second straight year that a seeded Hawai'i team has to beat USC on its home floor in order to reach the round of 16. Last year, the Rainbow Wahine won in three sets.
• Stanford could potentially have to beat a pair of squads that defeated the Cardinal during the regular season - just to reach the semifinals. Stanford could face Notre Dame in the round of 16 and Hawai'i in the quarterfinals - both of whom had 3-0 wins over the Cardinal early in the season. Stanford beat Hawai'i in the 2008 quarterfinals.
• The brutal road to a title for third-ranked Hawai'i could look like this: first round vs. New Mexico, second round vs. 16th-ranked USC on the Trojans' home floor, third round vs. fifth-seeded Illinois, quarterfinals vs. fourth-seeded Stanford on the Cardinal's home floor, then the semifinals against unbeaten Penn State and then the championship match.
• Florida State, though seeded third, could have to face two teams ranked higher than the Seminoles in the AVCA poll - just to reach the semifinals. FSU, ranked 14th, could face 10th-ranked Kentucky in the round of 16 and either fourth-ranked Washington or No. 13 Minnesota in the quarterfinals.
• Washington could have to face 11th-seeded Minnesota in Minneapolis in the round of 16.
• Washington ended the regular-season with a five-set defeat against Oregon. The Huskies could have to beat the Ducks to reach the semifinals.
• The Big 12 has three teams ranked in the top 10 of both the RPI and AVCA poll. All three of them are in the same quarter of the bracket.
• Seventh-seeded Iowa State and 10th-seeded Nebraska could meet in the round of 16. The squads split their regular-season meetings, both winning on the road.
• Texas' only loss this season came against Iowa State, but the Longhorns may need to beat the Cyclones just to reach the semifinals. UT also beat ISU in last year's quarterfinals.
• Another possibility in the quarterfinals for Texas is a matchup with Nebraska ... in Omaha.

Natalia Valentin and Florida International are 14-0 in Sun Belt Conference play

With only three and a half weeks left before the NCAA Championship field is announced (Sunday, Nov. 29 at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN News), it's time to examine how some of the big conference races are shaping up. First we'll take a quick look at what's happening at the top of the standings in each of the 13 leagues that have at least one team that is ranked or receiving votes in this week's AVCA poll. Below that, we revisit the 19 squads across the country that continue to remain perfect in conference action.

Atlantic 10
Dayton leads the way with an 11-1 league mark, with four matches to go. No. 21 Saint Louis stands one-half game back, at 10-1, with five to play - though the Flyers topped the Billikens in the teams' only meeting of the regular season. The conference tournament - which has been won by one of those two schools for each of the last six years (Dayton in 2003, '04, '05 and '07; Saint Louis in 2006 and '08) - takes place Nov. 20-22 in Dayton, with six teams qualifying. The championship match (Nov. 22, 4 p.m. ET) will be televised live by CBS College Sports Network.

Atlantic Coast
No. 16 Florida State is atop the standings with a 12-1 conference record, with seven matches remaining. The Seminoles have a one-game lead on Duke (11-2), and those two will meet on Friday in Tallahassee. FSU - which has won just one regular-season ACC crown (co-champions with Duke in 1992) - took a five-set decision in Durham last month. Georgia Tech - the only team to have defeated the Seminoles in ACC action - is 10-3 and will play host to FSU on Nov. 14. The ACC does not have a conference tournament.

Big 12
Second-ranked Texas stands a perfect 13-0 in one of the nation's toughest conferences and has a two-game lead over No. 8 Iowa State (11-2) with seven matches to play. The Longhorns and Cyclones will hook up tonight in Ames. UT - seeking its first outright Big 12 title since 1997 after being co-champs in each of the last two years - won in three sets in Austin in September. Iowa State has never finished higher than fourth since the Big 12 was founded in 1996. The Big 12 does not have a conference tournament.

BIG EAST
Notre Dame remains unbeaten in league play with a 10-0 record and four matches left. Cincinnati - which lost in five sets at Notre Dame in October - is right behind at 9-1, with Pittsburgh at 8-2. The Fighting Irish are seeking their first BIG EAST title since 2005, after having claimed at least of a share of the regular-season crown each year from 1999-2005. The BIG EAST Championship takes place Nov. 20-22 in Louisville (the Cardinals are the defending champions), with the top eight teams qualifying. The championship match (Nov. 22, 3 p.m. ET) will be televised by ESPNU.

Big Ten
Top-reanked Penn State has won 57 consecutive Big Ten matches and again stands atop the conference with a 12-0 record and eight matches to play. No. 5 Illinois is two back at 10-2, and the Fighting Illini will head to Happy Valley on Nov. 13. PSU - which is seeking its seventh consecutive outright Big Ten crown - won in three sets at Illinois in September. The Big Ten does not have a conference tournament.

Big West
UC Davis sits atop the conference standings with a 9-2 mark with five matches to play. UC Santa Barbara - which lost in five at UCD in October - is right behind at 9-3, while Long Beach State is in third at 7-3. The Aggies will play at LBSU - which beat UC Davis in three on Oct. 9 - on Saturday and will play host to UCSB on Nov. 13. In just its third season as a member of the Big West, UC Davis went 1-15 in league action in 2007 and 4-12 a year ago. The Big West does not have a conference tournament.

Missouri Valley
No. 25 Northern Iowa leads the way with a 12-0 record in league action and six matches remaining. Missouri State - which lost in four at UNI on Oct. 17 - is in second place with a 10-2 mark. Those teams will hook up again on Nov. 13 in Springfield, Mo. The State Farm MVC Championship takes place from Nov. 26-28 in Omaha. UNI has won eight of the last 11 MVC tournaments - though the Bears knocked off the Panthers in the title match in 2008.

Mountain West
Colorado State is in first place with a 10-1 record and six matches remaining. TCU - the lone squad to defeat the Rams in league play (3-0 on Oct. 22; CSU won 3-0 at home on Sept. 26) - is right behind at 10-2, while Utah is in third at 8-2. CSU will be at Utah on Nov. 12, having swept the Utes at home on Oct. 17. The MWC does not have a conference tournament.

Pacific-10
No. 4 Washington leads the way with a 9-2 league mark and seven matches remaining, while fifth-ranked Stanford and No. 7 UCLA are right behind with 8-3 records. The Huskies will play host to Stanford on Friday and head to UCLA on Nov. 14. The Cardinal dealt UW its first loss of the season in a five-set decision on Oct. 10, while the Huskies won in four against the Bruins on Oct. 16. Stanford has been the conference champion in each of the past three years. The Pac-10 does not have a conference tournament.

Southeastern
No. 11 Kentucky is atop the Eastern Division with a 10-1 mark and seven matches remaining. Right behind is ninth-ranked Florida, at 10-2, and Tennessee is in third at 8-3. The Wildcats will wind up the season with matches against those two, first visiting Gainesville on Nov. 22 and then welcoming the Lady Vols on Nov. 25. UK won in five at home against Florida on Oct. 2 and lost 3-1 to Tennessee on Oct. 21. In the Western Division, No. 19 LSU is 10-2 with six matches remaining and is three clear of second-place Auburn (6-5). The SEC does not have a conference tournament.

Sun Belt
Florida International is 14-0 in conference play, but Middle Tennessee (12-0) is right behind in the East Division. The Panthers won the first matchup between the teams, in four sets at home on Oct. 4. On Saturday, FIU heads to Murfreesboro, Tenn., for the rematch. The West Division is wide open, with New Orleans and Denver currently tied for first at 8-5. Arkansas State is right behind at 9-6, while Arkansas-Little Rock is 8-7 and North Texas is 6-7. The Pioneers play host to the Privateers on Thursday. The Sun Belt Championship takes place from Nov. 19-21 in Bowling Green, Ky.

West Coast
No. 25 Saint Mary's is on top of the standings with an 8-1 conference mark, with five to play. Right behind is 22nd-ranked San Diego, which is 7-2 and beat the Gaels in four sets on Oct. 17. SMC plays host to the Toreros on Nov. 14. USD has claimed at least a share of the WCC title in each of the last three seasons, while Saint Mary's has not won a conference crown since joining the WCC in 1987. The WCC does not have a conference tournament.

Western Athletic
No. 3 Hawai'i - which has won at least a share of the WAC regular-season title in all 13 years of league membership - is on pace to extend that streak, with an 11-0 record in league action with five to play. New Mexico State is in second with a 9-3 mark, while Idaho is 8-3. The Rainbow Wahine will play at Idaho on Nov. 14 after sweeping the Vandals at home in September. The six-team WAC Championship will be Nov. 23-25 in Las Vegas. The championship match (Nov. 25, 6:30 p.m. MT) will be televised by ESPNU.

Teams Undefeated in Conference Play

TODAY'S SCOREBOARD WATCH
Top 25 and Television Schedule
Purdue at Indiana, 7 p.m. - TV: Big Ten Network | Live Stats
No. 2 Texas at No. 8 Iowa State, 7:30 p.m. - Live Stats
Missouri at No. 10 Nebraska, 8 p.m. - TV: NET | Free Video | Live Stats
Oklahoma at No. 20 Baylor, 8 p.m. - Live Stats
No. 23 Texas A&M at Kansas State, 8 p.m. - TV: FSN | Live Stats
Kansas at Colorado, 9 p.m. - TV: FSN | Live Stats

Alex Hunt and Michigan will challenge Penn State in front of a sold-out crowd on Friday

Here are some notes on this weekend's biggest matchups:

• There are seven matches pitting nationally-ranked teams against each other this weekend, with five of those coming on Friday night and spanning three different conferences.
• The Big Ten Conference boasts four teams ranked among the top 11, and those squads will hook up for two huge matchups on Friday evening. Top-ranked Penn State - riding its NCAA-record 82-match winning streak - heads to 11th-ranked Michigan in a match that will be shown on a delayed basis on ESPN2. Sixth-ranked Minnesota plays at No. 10 Illinois in a contest that will be aired on tape delay by the Big Ten Network.
• Penn State is atop the conference standings with a 6-0 mark (and a conference-record 51 consecutive Big Ten victories), while Minnesota is in second place at 5-1. Illinois (5-2) and Michigan (4-2) are right behind the Gophers.
• PSU and Michigan are the top two teams in the Big Ten in kills (Penn State is first at 15.07; Michigan is at 14.27) and service aces (U-M is first at 1.78; PSU is at 1.64). The match also will feature the league's top two individual servers, as PSU's Alyssa D'Errico is tops at 0.59 aces per set, while Michigan's Alex Hunt is second at 0.54.
• The Penn State-Michigan match in Keen Arena is sold out. The Nittany Lions have won 12 in a row against the Wolverines (with eight of those being in straight sets).
• The Minnesota-Illinois contest is a special event called Spike the Record at Illini Madness, in which the match will be held in Assembly Hall immediately before the first Illinois basketball practices. Illinois has announced it is attempting to break the NCAA record for attendance at a regular-season volleyball match held in conjunction with a special promotion of another event. That record is 16,126 fans, and it was set at a five-set victory for North Carolina over Duke on Oct. 17, 2003, in a match held before UNC's first men's basketball practice.
• Each of the last three matches between Minnesota and Illinois have ended in five-set victories for the Gophers.
• The Pac-10 has four matches between ranked squads this weekend. On Friday, it will be 14th-ranked California at No. 15 Oregon, as well as No. 12 UCLA at fourth-ranked Washington. The following evening, No. 5 Stanford will be at Oregon, while Washington plays host to No. 16 USC.
• Stanford has won 39 straight against the Ducks and is 46-2 all-time in the series. Oregon's last victory came in 1989.
• Also on Friday, the co-leaders in the Big West Conference will meet, as No. 21 UC Irvine plays host to 25th-ranked Long Beach State. Both are 4-1 in league action.
• Long Beach State is the top defensive team in the Big West, allowing opponents to hit .173 this season - while UC Irvine is next-best at .177.
• LBSU and UCI split their meetings a season ago, but The Beach has won eight of the last 10 and is 57-7 all-time against the Anteaters.
• The top two teams in the Atlantic 10 will play this weekend, as well, as No. 20 Saint Louis heads to Dayton, which is receiving votes. The Billikens are 4-0 in conference action this season and have won 21 straight A-10 regular-season matches - while the Flyers are 5-0 in the A-10. Dayton is the last team to beat SLU in league action, a four-set match on Oct. 28, 2007.
• The West Coast Conference also has a matchup of two of its elite teams, as 23rd-ranked San Diego will play host to Saint Mary's - the lone team without a WCC defeat - on Saturday.
• There are five other matches where a ranked team plays a road match against a squad receiving votes in this week's poll. On Friday, No. 5 Stanford is at Oregon State, and No. 13 USC at Washington State. No. 1 Penn State will be at Michigan State - the first team outside the rankings - on Saturday, when 12th-ranked UCLA plays Washington State and No. 14 Cal takes on Oregon State, as well.
• There will be seven matches that feature some television coverage, though four of those will be shown on a tape-delayed basis and the other three are on local channels.

WEEKEND SCOREBOARD WATCH
Friday, October 16
No. 17 Florida State at Maryland, 5:30 p.m. - Live Stats
No. 1 Penn State at No. 11 Michigan, 7 p.m. - TV: ESPN2 (airs Sunday at 1 p.m. ET) | Live Stats
No. 9 Florida at Auburn, 7 p.m. - Live Stats
No. 20 Saint Louis at Xavier, 7 p.m. - Free Video | Live Stats
Georgetown at Marquette, 7 p.m. - TV: MUTV | Free Video | Live Stats
No. 6 Minnesota at No. 10 Illinois, 7:30 p.m. - TV: Big Ten Network (airs Sunday at 7 p.m.) | Live Stats
Arkansas at No. 24 LSU, 8 p.m. - Live Stats
No. 12 UCLA at No. 4 Washington, 9 p.m. - Free Video | Live Stats
No. 5 Stanford at Oregon State, 10 p.m. - Free Video | Live Stats
No. 14 California at No. 15 Oregon, 10 p.m. - Live Stats
No. 16 USC at Washington State, 10 p.m. - Live Stats
No. 18 Arizona at Arizona State, 10 p.m. - TV: FSN (delayed) | Live Stats
No. 25 Long Beach State at No. 21 UC Irvine, 10 p.m. - Live Stats
Saturday, October 17
No. 19 Baylor at Oklahoma, 1 p.m. - Live Stats
Colorado at No. 22 Texas A&M, 3 p.m. - Free Video | Live Stats
Saint Mary's at No. 23 San Diego, 4 p.m. - Free Video | Live Stats
No. 1 Penn State at Michigan State, 6:30 p.m. - Live Stats
Ohio State at No. 11 Michigan, 7 p.m. - Live Stats
No. 20 Saint Louis at Dayton, 7 p.m. - Free Video | Live Stats
No. 2 Texas at Texas Tech, 7:30 p.m. - Live Stats
No. 7 Nebraska at Missouri, 7:30 p.m. - Live Stats
No. 6 Minnesota at Northwestern, 8 p.m. - Live Stats
No. 8 Kentucky at Mississippi State, 8 p.m. - Live Stats
No. 16 USC at No. 4 Washington, 10 p.m. - Free Video | Live Stats
No. 5 Stanford at No. 15 Oregon, 10 p.m. - Live Stats
No. 12 UCLA at Washington State, 10 p.m. - Live Stats
No. 14 California at Oregon State, 10 p.m. - Free Video | Live Stats
UC Riverside at No. 21 UC Irvine, 10 p.m. - Live Stats
Cal State Northridge at No. 25 Long Beach State, 10 p.m. - Live Stats
Portland State at Northern Arizona, 10 p.m. - TV: Universityhouse & FSN (both delayed) | Live Stats
New Mexico State at No. 3 Hawai'i, 1 a.m. - TV: KFVE | Live Stats
Sunday, October 18
No. 17 Florida State at Boston College, 1 p.m. - Live Stats
Houston at UCF, 1 p.m. - TV: Bright House Sports Network | Live Stats
No. 9 Florida at Georgia, 1:30 p.m. - Free Video | Live Stats
No. 8 Kentucky at Alabama, 2:30 p.m. - Free Video | Live Stats
Mississippi at No. 24 LSU, 2:30 p.m. - Live Stats

Megan Hodge had 21 kills in Penn State's sweep

Two of the remaining unbeatens faced difficult road tests over the weekend. One came through unscathed and the other fell in five. Top-ranked Penn State was up to the challenge again, sweeping No. 5 Minnesota 26-24, 25-21, 25-14 in front of 4,785 fans to extend its NCAA-record winning streak to 82 matches. The Nittany Lions were led by three-time All-America outside hitter Megan Hodge, who pounded 21 kills on .340 hitting and 11 digs. Senior setter Alisha Glass helped PSU to a .328 team hitting mark. Penn State has won 10 straight against the Gophers, including five consecutive sweeps.

Third-ranked Washington was defeated for the first time this season, losing in five (19-25, 25-15, 23-25, 25-23, 15-12) against No. 7 Stanford. The Huskies had won 46 consecutive sets to start the season before the Cardinal broke through in the second frame of the match. Senior middle blocker Janet Okogbaa led Stanford with a career-best 21 kills on .528 hitting and was in on seven of the team's 15 blocks. Both teams hit well, as freshman setter Karissa Cook led Stanford to a .257 mark, and junior Jenna Hagglund's UW attack finished at .254. The Huskies' serving was a big factor, as UW made 17 service errors, but managed just three aces.

The Cardinal beat No. 25 Washington State 25-23, 20-25, 25-22, 25-22 on Friday, thanks to 20 kills on .354 hitting from junior outside hitter Alix Klineman and 19 kills from her classmate, Cassidy Lichtman. Stanford - the two-time defending Pac-10 champs - dropped its conference opener, but has since reeled off four consecutive victories, all against nationally-ranked opponents.

Hagglund led Washington to a .490 attack percentage in a 25-16, 25-22, 25-23 victory over No. 15 California on Friday. Junior outside hitter Kindra Carlson had 19 kills on .471 hitting for UW, while junior Carli Lloyd set Cal to a .349 mark. The Golden Bears ended a three-match skid with a 25-14, 25-19, 25-20 win against No. 25 Washington State on Saturday. Lloyd's offense hit .396, with senior outside hitter Hana Cutura posting 19 kills on .567 hitting.

No. 22 Arizona also ended a three-match losing streak this weekend, overcoming a pair of outstanding individual efforts en route to two victories. Oregon State senior outside hitter Rachel Rourke had 29 kills on Friday, but Arizona used 96 digs to pull out a 25-27, 25-20, 25-21, 24-26, 15-6 win. On Saturday, it was Oregon senior outside hitter Sonja Newcombe who registered 26 kills, but Arizona junior setter Paige Weber orchestrated a balanced and potent attack that had a .302 hitting percentage and featured five players with double-figure kills.

The other matchup of ranked teams over the weekend saw No. 16 UCLA gain a sweep of 13th-ranked USC at home in front of 3,180 fans. Senior outside hitter Kaitlin Sather had 15 kills, while sophomore libero Lainey Gera finished with 23 digs.

Sixth-ranked Florida had won 26 in a row against LSU before being swept by the Tigers on Sunday night, 28-26, 25-20, 25-22. Senior Sam Dabbs set the Tigers to a .333 hitting mark, while senior middle blocker Brittnee Cooper posted 18 kills on 26 error-less swings for a .692 hitting mark. It was LSU's first victory over Florida since 1991.

Allison Wack and Wisconsin posted two impressive wins

Heading into the weekend, Wisconsin found itself with a 6-7 overall record and near the bottom of the Big Ten standings with a 1-3 league mark. But the Badgers had one of the most-impressive weekends of anyone, sweeping No. 18 Michigan State on Friday and then knocking off eighth-ranked Michigan in four sets on Saturday. The Badgers won 25-16, 27-25, 29-27 in front of a crowd of 3,566 against the Spartans, as senior outside hitter Brittney Dolgner posted 15 kills on .444 hitting. UW then delighted a crowd of 4,601 in a 26-28, 25-23, 25-18, 25-21 win against the Wolverines that saw Allison Wack register 18 kills on .472 hitting.

Another team that came into the weekend at 1-3 in Big Ten play, Iowa, also played well. The Hawkeyes nearly pulled off an upset of No. 8 Michigan on Friday before the Wolverines rallied for a five-set win. Then Iowa dominated 18th-ranked Michigan State 25-14, 25-15, 25-19 on Sunday, as junior Mara Hilgenberg set her offense to a .356 hitting mark.

Texas A&M, the first team outside the Top 25, got a four-set (25-18, 31-29, 12-25, 25-23) road upset victory against No. 17 Baylor in front of a record crowd of 3,022. Senior outside hitter Sarah Ammerman had 20 kills for TAMU. Pacific also notched an upset of a ranked team, defeating No. 20 Long Beach State 25-16, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22. Senior setter Olivia Riley helped the Tigers to a .366 hitting mark, as senior outside hitter Mallori Gibson had 21 kills on .400 hitting and junior outside hitter Svenja Engelhardt notched 20 kills on .459 hitting. Senior outside hitter Naomi Washington had 20 kills in defeat for The Beach.

Other noteworthy results included No. 2 Texas remaining unbeaten with a 27-25, 26-24, 25-15 victory over Oklahoma, and No. 19 Florida State defeating Duke in five sets (25-18, 25-27, 25-20, 23-25, 15-10). The Seminoles had lost 12 in a row against the Blue Devils - who had been the last team unbeaten in ACC action.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
A Look Back at Yesterday's Highlights
Five nationally-ranked teams played last night and all came through with victories - though a few were somewhat challenged. Topping that group was No. 1 Penn State, which dropped a set for the second time in less than a week but eventually won in four (25-17, 23-25, 25-15, 25-13) against Ohio State with senior Alisha Glass setting the Lions to a .353 mark. No. 6 Florida lost the first set at South Carolina but rallied for a 4-26, 25-19, 25-23, 25-15 victory. Sophomore right-side/setter Kelly Murphy became the first Division I player to post four triple-doubles this season, with 12 kills, 25 assists and 17 digs.

Victoria Henson posted 24 kills, 14 digs and six blocks to help No. 14 Iowa State gain a 25-23, 22-25, 25-10, 25-21 win at Oklahoma. Elsewhere in the Big 12, senior Taylor Barnes led No. 17 Baylor to a .309 hitting mark and a 25-19, 25-23, 25-20 win at Texas Tech. No. 9 Nebraska swept Kansas 25-20, 25-20, 25-21 thanks to 15 kills on .448 hitting from Hannah Werth.

WEEKEND PREVIEW
• The biggest test of the season thus far is on the horizon for top-ranked Penn State which has dropped two sets in the last three matches. The Nittany Lions will be at No. 5 Minnesota on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network.
• The Gophers are 13-3 overall and have registered sweeps in all four of their Big Ten contests. PSU has won nine straight vs. Minnesota, including four consecutive three-set decisions.
• The Pac-10 has a record eight teams in the national rankings this week, and of the seven matches between ranked teams set for this weekend, all but one features Pac-10 teams.
• No. 3 Washington - the only DI team that has yet to lose a set - has another tough weekend ahead, as the Cougars will head to the Bay Area for matches against No. 15 California and seventh-ranked Stanford. The Huskies are the only team that is unbeaten in Pac-10 play, at 4-0.
• No. 25 Washington State also heads to the Bay Area and will face No. 7 Stanford on Friday and 15th-ranked Cal on Saturday. The Cougars - who are ranked for the first time in more than six years - are 13-1 overall and in second place in the Pac-10 standings at 3-1. Stanford is one-half game back at 2-1 in league play, while every other team already has been beaten at least twice in conference action.
• Saturday's match in Palo Alto pits the teams that have taken the top two spots in the Pac-10 standings in each of the last five years. Stanford edged out Washington for the league title in each of the last three seasons after the Huskies finished first ahead of the Cardinal in both 2004 and '05.
• In other Pac-10 activity between ranked teams, No. 13 USC is at No. 16 UCLA on Friday and seventh-ranked Oregon plays on the road against No. 22 Arizona on Saturday.
• Second-ranked Texas plays host to Oklahoma on Saturday. The Sooners beat the Longhorns in five in the last match between the schools - which stands as the last tim UT was beaten at home. Texas does hold a 33-2 advantage in the all-time series.
• Another big match in the Big 12 pits No. 17 Baylor against Texas A&M, which is the first team outside of the top 25.
• No. 12 Illinois has a big weekend, as it welcomes a pair of teams that are receiving votes in the poll this week: Indiana and Purdue.
• Elsewhere, No. 19 Florida State hits the road to face the only team unbeaten in ACC action, Duke, and the two remaining unbeatens in BIG EAST play - Notre Dame and Cincinnati - play at Notre Dame.

TODAY'S SCOREBOARD WATCH
Complete Top 25 and TV Schedule (All Times Eastern)
New Mexico at BYU, 9 p.m. - TV: BYU Television | Live Stats
Wyoming at Air Force, 9:30 p.m. - TV: The Mtn. | Free Video | Live Stats
San Francisco at No. 24 San Diego, 10 p.m. - Free Video | Live Stats
Nevada at No. 4 Hawai'I, 1 a.m. - TV: KFVE | Free Audio | Live Stats