LONG BEACH, Calif. — BYU is no stranger to the men's volleyball Final Four, having claimed the national title two years ago.
However, compared to the other three participating teams in this year's NCAA championships, the Cougars are still very new to this experience.
UCLA, Penn State and Ohio State were all part of the Final Four a year ago, when the Bruins won their 18th national title with a victory over the Buckeyes.
Penn State — BYU's national semifinal opponent Thursday at the Pyramid (8:30 p.m.) — is making its 16th Final Four visit. UCLA, which faces Ohio State (6 p.m.), is part of the Final Four for the 23rd time. The Buckeyes have been here on 12 previous occasions.
"This is our second appearance," said BYU coach Carl McGown, "but we're pleased to be the new kids on the block."
The Cougars' rise to national prominence had humble beginnings. BYU started its NCAA-sanctioned program in 1990 and struggled as McGown's teams posted a 7-48 record in his first two seasons. Since 1999, the Cougars are 69-14. Now, BYU is looking for its second NCAA crown in three years.
WALL'S STATUS: Mike Wall will be back at full strength when BYU faces Penn State.
The All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opposite hitter played sparingly last Thursday in the Cougars' loss to Hawaii in the conference tournament semifinals after spraining an ankle the previous week.
"I was at about 60 percent," Wall said. "The biggest thing was, I hadn't touched a volleyball in five days. I was rusty. I'll be 100 percent Thursday."
FROM FINAL EXAMS TO FINAL FOUR: Besides Wall's injury, there was a reason why the Cougars played poorly against Hawaii, according to McGown.
While McGown was quick to credit the Warriors for their fine play, he added that his team had "terrible practices" last week. His explanation? "The guys were dead-tired from final exams."
BALANCE OF POWER: When it comes to Division I men's volleyball, the West is dominant. In the national rankings released after the conclusion of the regular season a week ago, nine of the top 10 teams were from the MPSF, including the first seven spots.
On the other hand, Ohio State, champions of the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, was rated No. 11 and Penn State, champions of the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, was No. 12.
More specifically, California is the mecca of men's volleyball. BYU (1999) and Penn State (1994) are the only non-California squads to win the national championship in the sport's three-decade NCAA history.
Of the 21 schools that field Division I teams, nine are from the Golden State. The number of programs has dwindled over the years, due in part to Title IX ramifications. Loyola Marymount and San Diego State dropped their men's teams in 2000.
TV COVERAGE: As of Tuesday, there were no live broadcast plans for Thursday's match between BYU and Penn State. But it will be broadcast on a tape-delayed basis by ESPN2 Friday at 11 a.m. Saturday's championship match will be aired live on ESPN2 at 5 p.m.
E-mail: jeffc@desnews.com