Colorado State hoping to host NCAA tournament action
The waiting is the hardest part.
The CSU volleyball team has done what it can.
Now the Rams’ fate is out of their hands.
What we know: Colorado State University will be in the NCAA tournament for the 20th season in a row after winning a sixth straight Mountain West title.
What we don’t know: Where the Rams will play to open the tournament.
Following a 3-1 win over Wyoming on Wednesday night, CSU’s regular-season record ended at 29-2 and 17-1 in MW play.
The Rams are ranked No. 9 in the AVCA coaches poll, but 16th in the all-important RPI.
The top 16 are most likely to host first- and second-round matches, leaving CSU right on the bubble.
That will lead to some sleepless nights in advance of the selection show at 6:30 p.m. Sunday (ESPNU).
“Most of the time we know we’re not hosting,” coach Tom Hilbert said after the win over Wyoming. “Last year I thought we had an outside chance. I’m on edge, but we’re going to the NCAA tournament, which has to be a positive.”
CSU didn’t end up hosting last year, instead traveling to Los Angeles where the Rams lost 3-2 to Cal State-Northridge in the first round.
The last time CSU hosted was in 2009, when the Rams beat Middle Tennessee State in the first round before an upset of No. 6 Washington in the second round.
The Rams ended up losing to Minnesota in the regional semifinals.
This season, CSU thinks it has done enough to earn a host.
The Rams beat two ranked teams in BYU and Arizona State, both away from Moby Arena. CSU also defeated Northern Colorado and the University of Denver, who both won their league titles.
Marquette is ranked 26th in RPI and the Rams beat them, too. CSU lost to Wisconsin, which is fifth in RPI and second in the coaches poll. The Rams also lost on the road at UNLV (57th in RPI).
“I think our (nonconference) proved the level we can play at,” senior Marlee Reynolds said. “I think we deserve to host in the first two rounds.”
The Rams’ average attendance was 2,901 for the season and they ranked 10th in the nation in that category, something the committee is likely to take into consideration.
Also working in CSU’s favor is that UNC (automatic bid), DU (automatic) and the University of Colorado (at-large) will all be in the tournament as well.
“The committee likes to keep teams from flying,” Hilbert said. “We could see all four of them in there. No one knows what the committee is going to do.”
Now it’s down to waiting. CSU will practice Friday and Saturday before taking Sunday off and watching the selection show at Fuzzy’s Tacos with fans Sunday night.
“I would love to have it here, but let’s just go and play a great tournament,” Hilbert said.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle at twitter.com/Kevin_Lytle and at facebook.com/KevinSLytle.
Colorado State resume
Record: 29-2
Mountain West: 17-1, sixth straight league title
AVCA coaches poll: 9
RPI: 16
Home record: 13-1
Road record: 12-1 (3-0 neutral)
Wins vs. top 100 RPI: 9