The Denver Pioneers deserve all of Cal Poly’s attention. They’ll get it, but knuckleheads like me can’t stop thinking about a potential Cal Poly vs. UCLA second-round matchup in the 2017 NCAA Volleyball Tournament.

After winning the Big West and going undefeated in conference play, Cal Poly earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. For sophomore Torrey Van Winden, a transfer from UCLA, the location of the first and potential second-round games is familiar — Pauley Pavilion.

Torrey, whose sister Adlee is a junior on the team, grew up with senior setter Taylor Nelson. In fact, their mothers played together in the mid-80’s at Cal Poly.

Last time @CalPolyVolley made the NCAA's, it was 2007 and Jon Stevenson was head coach. They swept Xavier and Purdue before losing to Stanford in three sets in the Sweet 16. #RideHigh #GoMustangs

— Max Milander (@MustangMax1) November 27, 2017

Torrey played at UCLA last season, but transferred to Cal Poly in the summer. She talked about feeling at home in San Luis Obispo this season and also about maybe having something to prove with the Mustangs.

First up is Denver, though. Out of the Summit League, the Pioneers had their highest ever final RPI this year at 55. Cal Poly’s RPI sits at 16. If they win, an 18-10 UCLA team is a likely opponent. 

If you’re in Los Angeles, this Cal Poly team is really fun to root for. Get to Pauley Pavilion on Friday night. You won’t be disappointed. 

Game time: Friday, 5:30pm

After sweeping the final home weekend of the season, Cal Poly volleyball clinched their first Big West Conference title in ten years Saturday night, sweeping third-place UC Irvine in three sets. 

For Cal Poly head coach Sam Crosson, the title marks the apex of a five year reconstruction of a program that went 4-26 in the year before he arrived. For the three seniors on the roster — Raeann Griesen, Savannah Neiman, and Taylor Nelson, the team’s 19th win in a row came on Senior Day at Mott Athletic Center. 

Mott dominance

Cal Poly finished their home season without losing a match at Mott all season. One thing that’s helpful is that they don’t play any non-conference games at home. But the Mustangs weren’t just good at home. They were dominant. In TOTAL, Cal Poly dropped just three sets at home in eight matches — two of those sets were against Hawai’i in their five-set victory. Cal Poly isn’t likely to host any NCAA Tournament games, but crowds definitely grew over the course of the season and you can bet that the Mustangs will start next season with about as big a home-court advantage as you can have in the Big West, aside from Hawai’i.

The right mix

Cal Poly used a familiar formula on the attack on Saturday night. Names like Van Winden, Nelson, Greisen, and Neiman led the way. Even in a three-set match in past years, Greisen or Adlee Van Winden would have a hugely disproportionate number of attacks and kills. Because they have such a depth of talent this season, Cal Poly has been able to limit each player’s number of swings. 

Volleyball health can be a cumulative thing. With the conference wrapped-up, it will be interesting to see if any players get days off or far less game usage on the road this week in preparation for the NCAA Tournament at the end of the month.

Mott Madness

Mott Athletic Center has been rocking the past few weeks. Starting with the Hawai’i game, Cal Poly drew 3,032, 2,781, 2,234, and 1,624 fans. Drawing almost 2,500 fans per game down the stretch is a pretty great number at Cal Poly. Being a top-25 team, this group certainly deserves all the attention they’re getting.

Alumnae on-hand

The conference-clinching match came in front of many of Crosson’s first freshman class that included Taylor Gruenewald and Shannon Fouts, among others. Those players endured 12-17 and 9-17 records in their first two seasons with the program, attended Cal Poly before there even was a beach program, and helped groom many of the younger players who are undefeated in conference play with just two matches left.

I didn’t pay a lot of attention to volleyball prior to Crosson’s arrival, but I know the culture wasn’t what he wanted it to be early-on. Changing culture isn’t always easy. This group has done it, and come out on the other side with all the success they could have hoped for. 

Congratulations are, certainly, in order. 

Photos from Friday night below by Owen Main. 

For more photos, or to purchase photos, click here.  If you just want to contribute to the cause, Venmo @Owen-Main or paypal owen@fansmanship.com. 

The Cal Poly Volleyball team is off to their best start since I was just a few months old (1981) and their best start in the Division I era at 15-2 overall and 6-0 in Big West Conference play. This is, or could be, arguably, the best Cal Poly Volleyball team the school has ever put on the court. On Saturday, they’ll be tested by perennial powerhouse Hawai’i.

The Rainbow Wahine have their first new head coach since the mid 70’s, but are still a force to be reckoned with. They are 10-5 on the season and also undefeated so far in Big West Conference play. Cal Poly has beaten Long Beach State at the Pyramid, have a higher RPI, and were effectively ranked 26th in the nation in the coaches poll this week.

Torrey Van Winden, a transfer from UCLA and Adlee’s younger sister, has been a revelation for Cal Poly’s already high-powered attack. By Owen Main

With Torrey and Adlee Van Winden, Raeann Griesen, and Savannah Niemen leading the attack and Taylor Nelson setting the table, the Mustangs have only lost to two teams in the top-25 and beat the only other ranked school they played. Torrey Van Winden already has two Big West Player of the Week honors this season and Taylor Nelson earned one recently as well. If they win at Hawai’i, they’ll almost certainly deserve to crack that top-25 poll. It will be anything but easy. 

In sports like volleyball and against a team like Hawai’i, nothing is given. Cal Poly is just 4-39 all-time against Hawai’i. So, the Mustangs might be the better team this season. The numbers would say they are. But until they go into the Stan Sheriff Center and come away with a match win, I’ll simply maintain a healthy optimism.

From what I saw two weeks ago, this year’s Cal Poly team has more weapons than any Mustang team I’ve seen. Last week, Cal Poly won in Long Beach. A win in Honolulu would be another strong message to the Big West and the rest of the national college volleyball scene: Cal Poly is dangerous.