2023 Big 12 Volleyball Preview: Can OU Move Into the Top Half?

[OUBeliever56A]

The Oklahoma Sooners Volleyball Team has completed their pre-conference matches that ended with a split on Friday/Saturday with UCLA last weekend. Their pre-conference record is 6-3 this season. In 2022, the Sooners produced their best pre-conference record in a while with a 10-2 record. But in Big 12 play, the Sooners were 5-11 and tied for 7th in the conference.

The question for 2023 is, can the newly re-made Sooners under Coach Mansfield improve and move up into the middle of the Big 12 conference with 13 teams in the league this season?

In the last 10 seasons of Big 12 volleyball for Oklahoma, the Sooners have finished higher than the 6th spot in only 4 seasons, 2019 (3rd), 2018 (T-3rd), 2014 (T-2nd) and 2013 (T-3rd). Moving up to the top half of the Big 12, as you will see, would be a very good season for the Sooners in 2023 and definite improvement.

The Big 12 has expanded for 2023 and welcomed 4 good volleyball programs into the conference as the Sooners will find out. BYU and Houston have been ranked this year with UCF receiving votes in the polls. Only Cincinnati is not in the polling results, but they are 7-3 in pre-conference play. The 2023 Preseason Coaches Poll had Oklahoma predicted to finish in 10th place in the 13th team conference. Here are the results of the 2023 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Poll.

School (First Place Votes) Points
1. Texas (12) 144
2. BYU (1) 125
3. Baylor 123
4. TCU 106
5. Kansas 105
6. Houston 91
7. Iowa State 81
8. K-State 63
9. UCF (Central Florida) 51
10. Oklahoma 45
11. Texas Tech 37
12. Cincinnati 23
13. West Virginia 20

The 2023 schedule is somewhat balanced with each team playing each of the other 12 teams. But in a twist of the schedule, each team plays six teams in a back-to-back DH for a total of 18 matches. OU’s schedule has them playing Texas, UCF, Kansas State, Iowa State, Houston and Cincinnati in those 6 DHs. If the schedule is weighted based upon the poll above, the Sooners have a tougher schedule at home with a 5.4 rated opponent at home and an 8.3 rated opponent on the road. Oklahoma plays the #1, #2, #4, #6 and #8 rated Big 12 teams at home in 9 matches. On the road the Sooners play the #3, #5, #7, #9, #11 and #12 teams in 9 matches.

The opening 5 matches of conference play for Oklahoma are daunting. The Sooners play the #1 Texas at home, #9 UCF in Orlando, #2 BYU at home, #4 TCU and #5 Kansas teams in first 7 matches with DH’ers against Texas and UCF. If the Sooners can escape those first 7 matches with a 3-4 or 4-3 record they will be playing very well.

Currently the 13 Big 12 Volleyball teams have the following records and rankings in their pre-conference matches.
1. BYU - 11-1 - #10 ranking - 4-0 home /3-1 road /4-0 neutral court
2. Kansas – 9-1 - #17 ranking – 5-1 / 2-0 / 2-0
3. Iowa State – 9-2 – T#25 ranking – 4-1 / 3-0 / 2-1
4. Central Florida – 9-2 – RV#30 ranking – 5-1 / 1-1 / 3-0
5. Houston – 7-2 – #20 ranking – 3-0 / 1-1 / 3-1
6. Cincinnati – 7-3 – unranked – 3-2 / 2-0 / 2-1
7. Kansas State – 6-3 – unranked – 2-2 / 1-1 / 3-0
8. Oklahoma – 6-3 – unranked – 1-1 / 1-2 /4-0
9. TCU – 7-4 – RV#37 ranking – 3-0 / 1-2 / 3-2
10. Texas – 5-3 - #9 ranking – 3-2 / 1-1 / 1-0
11. Baylor – 5-4 - #18 ranking – 2-1 / 1-2 / 2-1 – Baylor plays their final pre-conf match tonight vs SF Austin.
12. Texas Tech – 7-5 – unranked – 6-1 / 0-3 / 1-1
13. West Virginia – 6-6 – unranked – 2-1 / 1-3 / 3-2

Eight (8) of the thirteen (13) Big 12 teams are currently ranked. Oklahoma, as one of the five unranked teams, has their work cut out for them to move up into the middle 3rd (5th to 8th) or the top half of the conference in 2023.

From what I see, there is no regular schedule for matches in the Big 12 this season. Generally, there is usually a midweek match and then a single or a doubleheader match on the weekend. But there is no usual day the matches are played except that BYU does not play on Sunday.

The opening week schedule for the Big 12 starts on Wednesday night, the 20th and runs through Saturday the 23rd with 12 matches scheduled. Here is that schedule.

Wednesday 20th:
Houston at BYU [Edit: I had Baylor originally, not BYU.]

Thursday 21st:
UCF at Cincinnati, Iowa State at West Virginia, TCU at Kansas State

Friday 22nd:
UCF at Cincinnati, Iowa State at West Virginia, TCU at Kansas State, Kansas at Texas Tech, Texas at OU @ 6 PM

Saturday 23rd:
Kansas at Texas Tech, Texas at Oklahoma @ 6 PM, Baylor at BYU

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I will try to post the weekly standings for Big 12 Volleyball each week, usually on Wednesday, with the upcoming ‘weekly’ schedule.

For information about the Big 12 Volleyball Season here is a link:
https://big12sports.com/sports/vb

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I think the 2023 Volleyball season for Oklahoma will be a very successful season if they finish in the top 6 teams of the conference. To do that they will have to defeat several ranked teams in the conference. I hope that is what occurs in 2023. Any record for the Sooners that is 9-9 or better will be a good season for OU. From what I have seen watching via TV or in person, I think the change to Coach Mansfield and his staff has had a positive effect on the team and that their play has been solid to good and at times bordering on very good.

Good luck to the Sooners in 2023!

Boomer Sooner!

[OUBeliever56A]

The first match of the 2023 Big 12 Volleyball Season was played last night with Houston at BYU.

BYU won the match 3 sets to 0 sets over Houston - 26-24, 25-13 and 25-18. That is a very good win by BYU over a good Houston team.

[OUBeliever56A]

Three more Big 12 Volleyball Matches were played on Thursday Night.

UCF won the first match 3 sets to 1 set at Cincinnati. They play again on Friday night.
Iowa State won 3 sets to 0 sets at West Virginia. They play again on Friday night.
TCU also won 3 sets to 0 sets at Kansas State. They will play again on Friday night.

BYU (Wed night winner over Houston), UCF, I-State and TCU have opened Big 12 play with a win in their first match of conference play.