USC (27-4)

AVCA Coaches Top 25: 1

Ranked top five since third week of season … losses to Penn State, Central Florida, UCLA and Stanford … one of only two (UCLA) Pac-12 teams remaining, out of seven NCAA selections … won conference for seventh time behind Pac-12 Player of Year Alex Jupiter (6-3 Sr. OH), Setter of Year Kendall Bateman (5-11 Sr.) and Libero of Year Natalie Hagglund (5-9 So.), along with all-conference middle Lauren Williams (6-4 Sr.) … the three seniors are returning All-Americans, with Jupiter the Trojans’ career kills leader (1,836) and Bateman (4,337) the career assists leader … Jupiter ranks in the Top 25 nationally in points (5.24), aces (0.5) and kills (4.32), while Bateman is third in assists (12.1) and Williams eighth in hitting (.400) … Hagglund averages more than five digs, which is 46th … Alex Olgard (6-5 So. MB) is only Trojan not averaging at least two kills, but had 22 and hit .688 in subregional against Yale and Tulsa … team ranks among top four nationally in kills (15.02), hitting (.296) and assists (13.83)

"The biggest surprise for me this year is we had to play really hard in our conference every night to be successful," USC coach Mick Haley said. "When the tournament started so many of our teams got knocked out early. We were scratching our heads trying to figure out why because they were good. Night in and night out we prepared like mad. … I really thought our teams would go deep."

HAWAII (31-1)

AVCA Coaches Top 25: 3

Only loss came Sept. 4 against UCLA … four wins over Top 25 teams … 19th season Hawaii has won 30 matches … 30th NCAA appearance and 26th regional … regional record is 26-15, 13-5 at home … three-time All-American Kanani Danielson (5-10 Sr. OH) ranks 38th nationally in kills (4.13) and 32nd in points (4.66) and leads team in digs … 22 kills and 20 digs against Colorado State was her 20th double-double of year … Emily Hartong (6-2 So. MB) ranks 20th in hitting (.378) … Brittany Hewitt (6-3 Jr. MB) and Mita Uiato (5-8 So. S) both rank 28th, in blocking (1.32) and assists (11.16) … Jane Croson (5-11 Fr. OH) is second on team in kills and digs and Chanteal Satele (5-10 Sr. OH) is one of four UH attackers averaging more than two kills … Hawaii ranks in top 30 nationally in every statistic but digs and now leads the nation in winning percentage (.969).

"Last week gave our team some confidence that it wasn’t just size that would dominate the outcome of that (CSU) match," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "For a little while we struggled with their size, but the longer the match went on the better we played and their height was negated."@Scoreline1:KANSAS STATE (22-10)

AVCA Coaches Top 25: Unranked

One of three Big 12 teams left in postseason, from a conference with seven teams initially … upset second-seeded Nebraska at Lincoln, Neb., in second round to end ‘Huskers’ streak of 17 straight regionals … 8-1 in five-set matches … finished fourth in Big 12 behind Texas, Iowa State and Texas A&M … 13th NCAA appearance, but first in three years … roster has five juniors and no seniors … Kaitlynn Pelger (6-2 So. MB) is only all-region and all-conference first-team player, averaging 5.03 points per set (15th nationally), hitting .309 and ranking third on team in digs (2.76) … Pelger, who also passes, has 14 double-doubles and 11 matches with 20-plus kills, including 22 at Nebraska and 32 in Baylor loss … Lilla Porubek (6-1 So. OH), from Budapest, is averaging 3.39 kps and setter Caitlyn Donahue (5-8 Jr.) has a triple-double this season … team does not rank in Top 50 of any national statistic … Hilo’s Kuulei Kabalis (5-6 Jr. L) transferred in from Western Nebraska to become Wildcats’ first player from Hawaii and is averaging 3.75 digs, with career-high 30 against Baylor.

"The addition of Kuulei has really upgraded our ballhandling," says K-State coach Suzie Fritz, who concentrated on passing in the spring. "She is a first-contact machine. She’s good with her platform, she’s great with her hands. It has made a big difference for our team just in terms of controlling the ball. She’s been a big part of that."

PEPPERDINE (24-6)

AVCA Coaches Top 25: 18

Waves have lost only once since falling to Hawaii twice in mid-September … other losses are to Texas, Miami, Michigan and Saint Mary’s … win over UCLA — three days after Bruins gave UH its only loss — was first against a top-10 opponent in eight years … 21st NCAA appearance and seventh regional, with only regional win coming in 2002 … won 11th West Coast Conference title, with Kim Hill (6-4 Sr. Opp.) WCC Player of Year and All-Pacific Region, and Samantha Cash (6-3 MB) WCC Freshman of Year … Hill is 42nd nationally at 4.6 points per set and eighth on PU’s career kills list, while Cash is 45th in blocking (1.21) and 57th in hitting (.345) … Stevi Robinson (5-6 Sr. L) is career digs leader … Lilla Frederick (5-10 Sr. OH) averages more than three kills and digs and is fourth Wave in history with 1,000 kills and digs … team ranks in top 30 nationally in every statistic but aces and digs.

"The way this year has been around the country I was expecting (to play) anyone," 29th-year PU coach Nina Matthies said. "People asked what about the bracket, what do you think about this and that. From the very beginning I said I don’t know what’s going to happen. People are beating people all around the country. There are a lot of upsets or whatever you want to call them. I think there are a tremendous amount of good teams and I don’t know if there is one great team."