Diocese of Pittsburgh Girls Volleyball 2023 Season

2023 Season Playoff Overview

Below is the Playoff Format that we will follow for this "experimental" season. Just like the regular season "experiment", everything regarding the Playoff Format is also an "experiment" and is subject to revision and change in future seasons.

1. We will only have one (1) Pittsburgh Diocesan Champion (JV & Varsity). We will not have an "A" Champion and a "B" Champion. Based on the team classifications that have been submitted, we have one (1) "A" Team Section and two (2) "B" Team Sections (for both JV & Varsity). Each Section Champion will receive a Section Champion Plaque.

2. This season, 22 JV Teams will qualify for the playoffs, and 21 Varsity teams will qualify for the playoffs.

3. JV Format: There are 10 teams in Section 1. All 10 teams in Section 1 will qualify for the playoffs. There are 22 teams in Sections 2 & 3 (11 teams each). The top 6 teams from Section 2 & 3 (12 teams total) will qualify for the playoffs.

Round 1: The top 8 teams from Section 1, and the Section Champion from Sections 2 & 3 will all receive a bye. The #9 & #10 teams from Section 1, plus the #2 - #6 teams from Sections 2 & 3 will play each other as follows:

#9 Section 1 vs #6 Section 2 (winner will be #11 in Round 2)

#10 Section 1 vs #6 Section 3 (winner will be #12 in Round 2)

#2 Section 2 vs #5 Section 3 (winner will be #13 in Round 2)

#5 Section 2 vs #2 Section 3 (winner will be #14 in Round 2)

#4 Section 2 vs #3 Section 3 (winner will be #15 in Round 2)

#3 Section 2 vs #4 Section 3 (winner will be #16 in Round 2)

Round 1 matches will be played October 16 - 22.

Round 2: The teams will be seeded in the Standard 16 Team Bracket as follows:

#1 - #8 = Section 1 Teams in order of finish

#9 = Section 2 Champion

#10 = Section 3 Champion

#11 - #16 = Round 1 Playoff Winners (per above)

Round 2 Matches will be the standard #1 vs #16, #2 vs #15, #3 vs. #14, etc... and the 8 winning teams advance to Championship Sunday (10/29) per the bracket (just like previous years). Round 2 matches will be played October 22 - 27.

4. Varsity Format: There are 11 teams in Section 1. All 11 teams in Section 1 will qualify for the playoffs. There are 21 teams in Sections 2 & 3 (10/11 teams each). The top 5 teams from Section 2 & 3 (10 teams total) will qualify for the playoffs.

Round 1: The top 9 teams from Section 1, and the Section Champion from Sections 2 & 3 will all receive a bye. The #10 & #11 teams from Section 1, plus the #2 - #5 teams from Sections 2 & 3 will play each other as follows:

#10 Section 1 vs #5 Section 2 (winner will be #12 in Round 2)

#11 Section 1 vs #5 Section 3 (winner will be #13 in Round 2)

#2 Section 2 vs #4 Section 3 (winner will be #14 in Round 2)

#4 Section 2 vs #2 Section 3 (winner will be #15 in Round 2)

#3 Section 2 vs #3 Section 3 (winner will be #16 in Round 2)

Round 1 matches will be played October 16 - 22.

Round 2: The teams will be seeded in the Standard 16 Team Bracket as follows:

#1 - #9 = Section 1 Teams in order of finish

#10 = Section 2 Champion

#11 = Section 3 Champion

#12 - #16 = Round 1 Playoff Winners (per above)

Round 2 Matches will be the standard #1 vs #16, #2 vs #15, #3 vs. #14, etc... and the 8 winning teams advance to Championship Saturday (10/28) per the bracket (just like previous years). Round 2 matches will be played October 22 - 27.

In order to accommodate the Round 1 Playoffs, no matches were scheduled after Sunday (10/15) for Sections 2 & 3. The Round 1 matches will be played between Monday (10/16) - Sunday (10/22).

Note: We will follow our previously established procedures in the case of a bonafide 3-way tie for Section Champion and/or the final playoff spot in a Section. Any other bonafide 3-way ties will be broken by the League Director.

~~JV - The top eight (8) teams from each Section will make the playoffs.~~

~~Varsity - The top eight (8) teams from each Section will make the playoffs.~~

If two (2) teams in a Section have the same record, the winner of their regular season head-to-head match will be the higher seed.

If three (3) teams in a Section have the same record, the winner of both head-to-head matches will be the highest seed, and the loser of both head-to-head matches will be the lowest seed.

If three (3) teams in the Section have the same record AND A beat B, B Beat C, & C beat A (i.e., a bonafide three-way tie), the League Director will determine the seeding of those three (3) teams.

However, if the bonafide three-way tie in a Section is for first place, then those teams will play round-robin tiebreaker matches on Monday (10/16) for Sections 2 & 3, and Saturday evening (10/21) for Section 1, to determine the Section Champion and the final seeding of each team. If a team is unable to play on that date, then that team will receive the lowest seed, and the winner of the regular season head-to-head match between the remaining two teams will be the Section Champion and receive the highest seed.

If a bonafide three-way tie in a Section is for the final playoff spot(s), then those teams will play round-robin tiebreaker matches on Monday (10/16) for Sections 2 & 3, and Saturday evening (10/21) for Section 1, to determine the final seeding of each team. If a team is unable to play on that date, then that team will receive the lowest seed, and the winner of the regular season head-to-head match between the remaining two teams will receive the highest seed.

Teams will be placed in the brackets according to their seed in the Section, regardless if the opponent is from the same school.

1st Round Playoff Matches will be scheduled October 16-22.

2nd Round Playoff Matches will be scheduled October 22-27.

Varsity Final Eight will take place on Saturday (October 28) at Oakland Catholic High School (9:30 AM).

JV Final Eight will take place on Sunday (October 29) at Oakland Catholic High School (1:00 PM).

The League Director reserves the right to modify the above schedule/dates on a case-by-case basis. For example, if two (2) teams are coached by the same head coach then accommodations will be made so that they can coach both teams in the playoffs.

The League Director will determine the venues for the playoff matches as we get closer to the start of the playoffs. The venue must meet certain requirements in order to qualify for hosting a playoff match.

There is at least six (6) feet of open area beyond both end lines for the server to stand in.
There is at least four (4) feet of playable area on both sides of the court.
The ceiling is of sufficient height to allow proper three-hit play (the League Director has sole discretion on this topic).
Their gym is available on the designated date.

Round 1 Venues (provided the school's home gym meets the above criteria):
- JV: #9 Section 1 and #10 Section 1 will each host three (3) matches on the same date (neutral site matches will be based on venue proximity for the higher seed).

- Varsity: #10 Section 1 and #11 Section 1 will each host two (2) or three (3) matches on the same date (neutral site matches will be based on venue proximity for the higher seed).

Round 2 Venues (provided the school's home gym meets the above criteria):
- JV: Section Champions will host two (2) or three (3) matches on the same date (neutral site matches will be based on venue proximity for the higher seed).

- Varsity: Section Champions will host two (2) or three (3) matches on the same date (neutral site matches will be based on venue proximity for the higher seed).

Note: If the outcome of a playoff match is determined in two (2) sets, the 3rd set will NOT be played.

For playoffs, the fee for the official(s) is $40 per match. The host school will pay 100% of the fees for all matches played at their school (regardless if they have a team playing in each match). The host school will keep all proceeds from admissions, 50/50 raffles, and concessions. If a Varsity match has two (2) officials, the League will cover the cost of the second official. The League will run the gate and pay the officials for the Final Eight at Oakland Catholic High School.

Playoff Seeding - once the Playoff Brackets are established, there will not be any re-seeding of teams based on prior round results.

Updated Friday, October 06, 2023