TBH Episode 45: RPI Decoded: How Scheduling Can Make or Break Your Season

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Hosts Makani, Marc, and Frank explain NCAA volleyball’s Rating Percentage Index (RPI) and how it drives scheduling, tournament selection, and recruiting. They define RPI as 25% team winning percentage, 50% opponents’ winning percentage, and 25% opponents’ opponents’ winning percentage, noting that 75% is largely outside a team’s control once the season starts, making scheduling crucial. They discuss non-conference preseason tournaments, return obligations, guarantees/pay games, conference initiatives that tier scheduling expectations, and how the transfer portal adds uncertainty after contracts are signed. They compare RPI to the AVCA coaches poll and note key RPI movement typically occurs in the 30–70 range. They also touch on bracket geography, expanded seeding, NAIA pool play, and potential club-volleyball ranking improvements using weighted tournament strength and AI tools.

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