How do D3 Volleyball Regional Rankings Work?

Hi everyone, I'm a high school junior looking at colleges with D3 volleyball programs. I noticed there are regional rankings for D3 schools, but I'm not quite sure how they work. Can someone explain the ranking process? Thanks!

Hello! D3 volleyball regional rankings are used to help determine the at-large bids for the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship. These rankings are determined by regional advisory committees and provide a snapshot of how teams perform against their regional competition. There are eight different geographical regions that teams are divided into, and each region has its committee, usually comprised of a representative from each conference in the region.

The rankings are released throughout the season and updated weekly to reflect a team's performance. During the selection process for the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship, the regional rankings can play a key role in determining at-large bids and seeding for the tournament, though other factors such as overall win-loss record, wins against regionally ranked opponents, and strength of schedule are also considered.

It's important to note that these regional rankings are separate from national rankings, which offer an overall picture of how a team stacks up against all the D3 volleyball programs in the nation. However, the regional rankings are often more influential when it comes to the postseason, as they directly contribute to the selection process for the NCAA Championship.

To sum up, D3 volleyball regional rankings are used to evaluate teams' performance within their respective geographical regions. These rankings, combined with other factors such as win-loss records and strength of schedule, can have a significant impact on selections and seeding for the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship.