Big Ten, Pac-12 dominate volleyball landscape

Across collegiate sports, each individual sport has its own power conference that dominates every season.

For college football, it’s the SEC. For college basketball, it’s the ACC.

NCAA Division-I women’s volleyball has been dominated by two conferences since the first NCAA Championship game in 1981 — the Big Ten and the Pac-12.

In fact, out of the 30 National Championships that have been played since 1981, only one championship game (1988: Texas vs. Hawaii) has featured neither a Big Ten nor a Pac-12 team, and 21 out of the 30 championships have gone to either Big Ten or Pac-12 teams.

With the recent addition of three-time national champion Nebraska to the Big Ten, the conference now boasts eight National Championships (Penn State: 5, Nebraska: 3).
This year, the conference has seven of its 12 members ranked in the top 25.

Historically, the Pac-12 has held an advantage against the Big Ten with 13 national championships, the most of any conference. Stanford leads the way with six titles of their own.

Six out of the last 10 years, the conference rivalry has culminated with one final showdown at the end of the season in the National Championship game.
The edge in the last decade, though, has gone to the Big Ten, as the Penn State Nittany Lions won their fourth consecutive national championship last season.

2011 Big Ten Teams in the Top 25 rankings (7 total)
No. 1 Illinois (13-0)
No. 7 Nebraska (9-1)
No. 9 Penn State (8-4)
No. 10 Minnesota (7-3)
No. 12 Purdue (13-0)
No. 17 Michigan (13-1)
No. 24 Ohio State (11-4)

2011 Pac-12 Teams in the Top 25 rankings (6 total)
No. 2 UCLA (11-2)
No. 3 Washington (10-1)
No. 4 California (13-2)
No. 5 USC (9-3)
No. 6 Stanford (8-3)
No. 15 Oregon (11-1)

Big Ten Championships (8 total)
5 for Penn State
(2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 1999)
3 for Nebraska
(2006, 2000, 1995)

BIG TEN Runner-ups (8 total)
3 for Nebraska
(2005, 1989, 1986)
1 for Minnesota (2004)
1 for Wisconsin (2000)
3 for Penn State
(1998, 1997, 1993)

Pac-12 Championships (13 total)
6 for Stanford (2004, 2001, 1997, 1996, 1994, 1992)
3 for  USC (2003, 2002, 1981)
3 for UCLA (1991, 1990, 1984)
1 for Washington (2005)

Pac-12 Runner-ups (14 total)
1 for California (2010)
8 for Stanford
(2008, 2007, 2006, 2002, 1999, 1987,1985, 1984)
4 for UCLA
(1994, 1992, 1983, 1981)
1 for USC (1982)

BIG TEN vs. Pac 12 championships
2010
Penn State defeats California 3-0
2008
Penn State defeats Stanford 3-0
2007
Penn State defeats Stanford 3-2
2006
Nebraska defeats Stanford 3-1
2005
Washington  defeats Nebraska 3-0
2004
Stanford defeats Minnesota 3-0
1999
Penn State defeats Stanford 3-0
1997
Stanford defeats Penn State 3-2