Having already taken the court with four nationally-ranked teams as well as a Dayton team that jumped from being unranked to No. 10 after defeating the Bobcats, Ohio (1-5) has endured a schedule that would not be embraced by many.
Every season, the Bobcats and coach Ryan Theis schedule opponents that are ranked among the best teams in the NCAA. Ohio last defeated a ranked opponent in 2007 against then-No. 12 San Diego and has not won since after 11 consecutive losses.
The Bobcats label their out-of-conference schedule at the beginning of each year as the preseason, before beginning play against Mid-American Conference teams. Non-conference teams range from big-time programs to schools in small conferences, but each one serves a purpose for Ohio.
“Playing tough teams is what helps us know what is broken on our team,” Theis said. “We need to play these top-tier teams in order to look good for the NCAA Committee, as we try to make the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season.”
Through just two weekends of play, the Bobcats have already competed against No. 7 Illinois, No. 10 Kentucky, No. 11 Pepperdine and No. 17 Oregon, though each school’s ranking has changed since Ohio played them.
“It has been really tough to play these teams, but this is the part of preseason we have been focusing on,” sophomore middle blocker Serena Warner said. “We need to play these tough teams in order to get better and it shows us what we need to work on.”
One is left to wonder, does this season boast the toughest schedule the program has yet to endure?
Ohio has played at least one ranked team in its “preseason” since 2005, but this season the team has played four ranked teams for the first time ever, with a previous high of three in 2007 and 2008.
From 2005 to 2007 Ohio faced seven ranked opponents, going 3-4 in those meetings, but since Theis took over as head coach in the 2008 season, the program has lost all 10 matches with ranked opponents.
His first season in 2008, the Bobcats began their season at a tournament in Hawaii, playing against the No. 1, No. 6 and No. 12 teams in the nation. Other than playing No. 7 Illinois and No. 10 Kentucky this season, Ohio has not played a Top 10 team since playing two in 2008.
However, in the three years between the tough preseason schedules of 2008 and 2012 for Ohio, the team played just one ranked opponent per season.
It may be hard to determine if 2012 is the toughest schedule in program history, but the Bobcats have endured five teams ranked twentieth or higher.
Ohio does not play another school ranked in the Top 25 by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, but does not expect its opposition to give away wins.
“We have played a really tough schedule these last two weekends, but we are getting a lot better and minimizing mistakes,” Theis said. “I don’t expect any teams we face to hand us anything. They might not be ranked, but we are going to continue to play tough competition.”
c1027410@ohiou.edu
