Team ratings were previously determined by the average rating of the top 10 players on each team. However, this method doesn't accurately represent the strength of each pair at each position in a beach volleyball dual. To win a dual, a team must secure victories in at least 3 out of the 5 position matches. Let's consider an example to illustrate why the average player rating doesn't effectively capture this dynamic:

Team 1 has 10 players, all with a rating of 8.0. The team's average rating is 8.0.

Team 2 has 4 players rated 10.0 and 6 players rated 7.0. The team's average rating is 8.2.

At first glance, based on the average team ratings, Team 2 appears to be the stronger team. However, upon closer examination, we discover that while Team 2 has a 95% chance of winning in the 1's and 2's positions, they only have a 25% chance of winning in the 3's, 4's, and 5's positions. Consequently, Team 2 is more likely to lose the dual despite having a higher average team rating.

To address this issue, our new team rankings take into account the actual pairs that a team fields at each position. We determine the most common pairs a team has used at each position over their last 7 duals and compare them against the pairs of every other team at the corresponding positions. This approach provides a much more comprehensive breakdown of how teams stack up against each other and helps predict which team is favored to win in each dual.

It's important to note that some of the differences in ratings can be very slight, so upsets can and will happen frequently. However, TruVolley has achieved a 78.8% match prediction accuracy in college beach volleyball, making these team rankings the most comprehensive and reliable available.

By considering the strength of each pair at each position, our new team rankings offer a more accurate representation of a team's overall performance and potential in a beach volleyball dual. This in-depth analysis allows us to provide valuable insights and predictions for upcoming matches.

In our team rankings, you may sometimes notice that your team is rated lower than a team you have recently beaten. While this might seem counterintuitive at first, it's important to understand how our rankings are determined and why this situation can occur.

Our team rankings are based on a comprehensive analysis of each team's most common pairs at each position. We take the individual player ratings, which are calculated based on their entire beach volleyball career, and compare the combined pair ratings against the corresponding pairs of every other team. This approach considers the overall strength and consistency of each pair at each position, rather than just the final outcome of a single match.

It's important to note that a single match result doesn't always reflect the true strength of a team. Various factors can influence the outcome of a match, such as injuries, weather conditions, or exceptional individual performances. Our rankings aim to capture a team's overall performance and potential based on the long-term performance of their players.

While our player ratings are calculated based on their entire beach volleyball career, they are optimized to give higher weight to recent performances. This means that recent matches have a more significant impact on a player's rating compared to older matches. However, the ratings still consider the player's overall career performance to provide a comprehensive assessment of their skills and abilities.

It's also worth noting that our rankings are updated nightly to reflect the most recent performances and pair combinations. As teams continue to compete and new data becomes available, the rankings adjust accordingly. If your team has had good recent performances, that will be reflected if those performances continue.

While we strive to provide the most accurate and comprehensive team rankings possible, we acknowledge that no ranking system is perfect. Upsets and unexpected results are part of what makes sports exciting and unpredictable.

If you have any further questions or concerns about your team's ranking, please don't hesitate to reach out. We appreciate your understanding and support as we continue to refine our ranking methodology to provide the best possible insights for college beach volleyball fans.