[BigJohn043]

Mens volleyball is a sport that only has 23 D1 competitors.  It is so small that they combine D1 with the 25 D2 members for their championship.  Although I don't believe a D2 school has ever won the championship.

The only D2 team of which I am aware that would even be eligible for the championship is UC-San Diego, and UC-SD has never played in the NCAA final four (or now, six).  This year, for the first time, the SCAC conference of primarily historically black colleges will field a D2 league and will participate in the NCAA tournament.  Also, there are a number of very strong NAIA schools.

If you're making the primary argument that because NCAA schools don't field many teams, then I suppose it's a good thing that we're eliminating both water polo teams (25 and 33 D1 schools), Men's Gymnastics (14), Fencing (21).  Candidly, I don't know why that should be the case, but I suppose it is what it is.

I am making the argument that you have to consider the size of the sport when evaluating performance.  Water polo and gymnastics are both very small sports but we compete for the national title every year.  Volleyball's performance is even less impressive when you consider the lack of competition....

[BigJohn043]

Mens volleyball is a sport that only has 23 D1 competitors.  It is so small that they combine D1 with the 25 D2 members for their championship.  Although I don't believe a D2 school has ever won the championship.

The only D2 team of which I am aware that would even be eligible for the championship is UC-San Diego, and UC-SD has never played in the NCAA final four (or now, six).  This year, for the first time, the SCAC conference of primarily historically black colleges will field a D2 league and will participate in the NCAA tournament.  Also, there are a number of very strong NAIA schools.

If you're making the primary argument that because NCAA schools don't field many teams, then I suppose it's a good thing that we're eliminating both water polo teams (25 and 33 D1 schools), Men's Gymnastics (14), Fencing (21).  Candidly, I don't know why that should be the case, but I suppose it is what it is.

I am making the argument that you have to consider the size of the sport when evaluating performance.  Water polo and gymnastics are both very small sports but we compete for the national title every year.  Volleyball's performance is even less impressive when you consider the lack of competition....