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The Coaches Group Chat

The Coaches Group Chat

By: Matthew Houlihan Arielle Houlihan Chad Gordon
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Summary

Grab a drink and a seat at the table with hosts Matt Houlihan, Arielle Houlihan and Chad Gordon as we chat about the world of volleyball, coaching, business, and whatever else Arielle feels like!

© 2026 The Coaches Group Chat
Volleyball
Episodes
  • S4E13: May Madness, Touch-Gate, Final Four Predictions
    May 6 2026

    The NCAA men’s volleyball tournament delivers a chaos filled quarterfinal weekend where matches swing on stoppages, challenges, and pure nerve. We break down the biggest replay controversies, talk about how momentum collapses after an overturned finish, then lock in our completely split Final Four champion picks.

    • Tournament expansion paying off with high drama matchups
    • Penn State vs Irvine fifth set chaos and long stoppages
    • Cameron Kosty blood delay and the legendary sport coat moments
    • Pepperdine vs Ball State touch review debate at match point
    • UCLA vs Irvine challenge overturn that changes everything
    • Frustration with replay systems and not showing what officials see
    • How mental swings decide tight fifth sets after “game over” moments
    • Last chance bracket reset and how many perfect brackets remain
    • Final Four predictions for Long Beach State, Hawaii, Irvine, Ball State
    • Taking the pod on the road for the national championship
    • Wedding venue delays and a New York City venue plea

    We’re gonna put our last chance bracket up online. So if you want to go back, go back in and put your final four predictions in. But if you’re there, come on down. And if you got tickets, let us know because we don’t have those yet.
    If anyone has a wedding venue in New York City that they would like to be incredible, they’d like to offer up as a sacrifice for ball state. Please DM us at the coaches group chat.


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    24 mins
  • S4E12: Bracket Challenge, Big West is More Entertaining Than MPSF, Milan Mania
    Apr 30 2026

    We lock in our NCAA men’s volleyball tournament predictions and argue where the real upset windows are hiding, especially around UC Irvine’s ability to turn a match with serving pressure. Then we zoom out to the sport itself, from Big West entertainment value and rivalry heat to what “Milan Mania” teaches about training, leadership, and letting athletes put on a show.
    • bracket pick’em challenge details and why the submission data is interesting
    • UC Irvine vs Penn State picks and what makes Irvine dangerous
    • how a play-in winner can threaten UCLA at home
    • Pepperdine vs Ball State as a true coin-flip match
    • USC vs Hawaii matchup factors including health and lineup questions
    • why tournament parity feels tighter than past seasons
    • Big West fan culture and player personality compared with the MPSF
    • rivalry moments and why drama helps men’s volleyball reach new fans
    • how coaches can encourage celebration without losing control
    • what “Milan Mania” really is beyond drills and why buy-in matters
    Head on over if you want to fill out your bracket, test yourself.
    We need tickets to the finals. I’m not saying like bad tickets, I need like front row tickets. Give us a call.


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    42 mins
  • S4E11: Conference Tournaments, Pacific Gives, D-Ops
    Apr 24 2026

    We run the full men’s volleyball playoff gauntlet, from the NEC and EIVA through the MIVA, MPSF, and Big West, then put real picks on the table for who wins and who sweats the bubble. Along the way we get into bracket expansion math, Pacific Gives fundraising chaos, and why behind-the-scenes ops work is the secret weapon of great programs.


    • Stanford season ends at BYU and the playoff mood shifts fast
    • NEC and EIVA quick hits, matchups that feel like annual destiny
    • MIVA final prediction talk with the usual playoff truths
    • MPSF semifinals recap, USC vs UCLA championship stakes
    • Big West reactions, Hawaii, Long Beach State, UC Irvine, UC San Diego scenarios
    • At-large bids with a 12-team bracket, who’s safe, who’s first out, what upset breaks it
    • Pacific Gives recap, donor match strategy, swimmer wager and the “fake donors” saga
    • Arielle’s DI-ops realization, what great ops actually solve, and why food logistics matter
    If you watch this, like, comment, subscribe.


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    32 mins
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