Introducing WVOL on the SEC Network

I will never, ever forget the incredible introductions of the Chicago Bulls to the song “Sirius” (I Can Read Your Mind) by the Alan Parsons Project. I still shiver every time I hear that music and think about those great Bulls teams. However, from a Volleyball perspective, a far more important introduction occurred Saturday August 30 on the new SEC Network with the introduction of “WVOL” as its own topic on The Lead for sports scores and information displayed across the bottom of the TV screen.  There, next to “NCAAF” and “MLB” we saw “WVOL” in all its glory.  And, furthermore, it wasn’t just SEC Volleyball scores, it was all the DI conferences.  Way to go, SEC Network!

Time for BICs, since the Hammer is now in the back row!

The defending NAIA national champion, the Ocelots of the University of Texas at Brownsville, were the unanimous No. 1 pick in the NAIA pre-season poll and currently are 4-0 on the year after sweeping all four of their matches at the Oklahoma Baptist University Tournament. The Ocelots are idle until squaring off with 17th ranked Rocky Mountain College of Montana on September 5 in Helena, Montana.

Calvin College is the top-ranked team in the preseason AVCA DIII poll. The defending DIII national champion Knights are currently 4 – 0 for the season, including a hard-fought victory in a tough 3 – 2 match with Clarkson University at Clarkson.

Concordia University at St. Paul is the defending NCAA DII champion and the number one ranked team in the DII preseason poll. The Golden Bears of Concordia open their season on September 5^th in their own tournament.

Third ranked Stanford went 2 – 0 in the AVCA Showcase, as did the Florida State Seminoles (Stanford and Florida State did not play each other).  Stanford returns home to host top-ranked and defending NCAA DI national champion Penn State (3 – 0) on Friday night, September 5. This match will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks at 6 p.m. PT and 9 pm ET.  This contest is the premier NCAA match up of the early season.

In Pool D of the FIVB World Championship, the US team won an uninspired 3 – 2 victory over Belgium in a match televised on BEIN Sports. Scores for the match were inconsistent and went 25 – 21, 17 – 25, 25 – 16, 21 – 25, and 15 – 11.

Also in Pool D, Puerto Rico lost a closely-contested three set match to France, also televised on BEIN Sports, 25 – 23, 25 – 22, 26 – 24.

Wow, those were some tough rotations, but the Hammer is back in the front row now, waiting for the next serve.  Let’s support this wonderful sport every chance we can! Ah, there’s the whistle now, time to play.