A Season 15 Recap - BUM Style!

We had some new faces winning major titles and some old faces continuing to selfishly hoard the shiny things from all the other clamoring masses.  We had 10 records set or matched on the all-time lists!  We had drama, and chaos, and Blowouts and Upsets and More!  And the BUM Report is here with a season-end recap for all that you already knew and all that you missed along the way.  Breaking it down, team-by-team alphabetically (so you can just find and read about you if that's all you have time for right now), here is your Season 15 BUMcap!

Albuquerque.  17-16 record, 8-6 conference, tied 3rd in PAC 8.  Mike P is getting to be as crafty (some would say sneaky, shifty, or outright criminally mischievious) as their mascots.  The Trash Pandas feasted at home in The Dumpster this season, going a perfect 10-0.  They set a new team record with a 6-game winning streak, and were also the only team to not lose a 5-set match this season, going a perfect 5-0 and tying the team mark for most 5-set matches won in a season.  To make it worse going forward, they landed two 5* recruits (S & OH!) and a 4* backup OH for the #4 overall recruiting class.  If the PAC 8 wasn't on notice, they should be now.  The Masked Bandits are starting to bring weaponry on the burglary runs.  This season saw them picking their battles, as they sometimes put out deceptively weak lineups, like in Match 18 when they scurried out with a 51-rated team, tied for 3rd lowest of the season.  In Match 19 vs. Mat-Su, they again played possum, dropping a 52 vs. the Moose 92.  The -40 overall rating was the largest talent gap of the season.  Having lulled the opposition to sleep, they then went out in Match 21 (non-conf v. Sheboygan) and pulled the #3 Upset Sweep of the season, -6 on the road.  They also made the semifinals in the Holyoke for the first time in team history, while continuing to be one of only two teams to have never advanced past the first round of the WGM Cup.  Clearly, the 'Coons know what they like, and are making it ever harder for the PAC 8, and the rest of us, to keep them from their coveted snacks and shiny things.  If you're playing at The Dumpster next season, better not go in weak, or you'll end up leaving without your snacks (and maybe your wallet).

Alton.  19-13 record, 11-3 conference, 1st in Big East!  This is the Screaming Eagles' second conference title (also season 12), and Big East MVP Evan Ames, Setter, was a key piece in their ascendance this season.  Dr. White's Bald Birdies had one of the top three offenses this season, peaking with team ratings at a road 91 in match 44, conference play (tied for #2 away rating), a home 94 in conference match 29 v Mendon and conference match 39 v Cinci (also tied for #2 rating), and dropping 91s on neutral court against Pekin in the Shield semis match 41 and the Shield 3rd place match against the Squirrels in match 46 (again tying for #2 overall this season).  Alton flashed some power this season to overcome tall odds as Olmec threw upsets and heat at them.  Early in the season, match 3, WGM group play vs. Pekin, Alton put out a 57-rated lineup to pair with Pekin's 40.  The result was the lowest combined neutral court rating of the year at 97 (next lowest was 105).  So in other awards, Alton gets a share of the Opposite of Trying Match of the Season!  Still early in the season, match 11, conference play v Schenectady, the Eagles held the Squirrels to 6 points in set 2, the 2nd lowest points allowed in a regular set this season.  That was followed up in the next conference game, match 13 at Spokane, where Alton ran into a buzzsaw, suffering a tie for the largest upset of the season despite outscoring the 'Squatch by 10 points overall!  They came in at +12-rated, and went out in 5 sets with the L.  In another painful 5-set loss, the Eagles were home v Porkopolis in match 39 and +2-rated on the match.  Set 5 went all the way to 21-19, and James T beat out James W in a match that went to a combined 232 points, tied for 3rd-most this season.  Overall, Alton rode out the waves of Olmec's fickle pleasures to a winning conference season despite suffering 6 total upsets (tied for most this season), and claiming the BUM Report's overall #1 Upsetted Title due to three of those being 5+ major upsets topped by the tie for largest of the year.  For those in the Big East, you can't say this season was gifted to the Eaglets!  Congrats on a solidly good season, James.

Ames.  19-14 record, 9-5 conference, 3rd in Big 8.  The Artichokes tied their team-best with a 3rd place conference finish.  They also advanced to the conference tourney semis for just the third time in team history.  Are we seeing a shift in power in the Big 8?  It may well be, as the Edible Thistles also brought in the #5-ranked recruiting class (1 5*, 3 4*s) to further their Dragon Ball-level powering up schemes (lots of posing and yelling and occasional color-change bursts. Rather gratuitous, really).  They set new team records for most wins (19), best win % (57.6%), and a new best Blowout (Match 22, TMVL Cup opener versus Starkville) at +39 total points!  Despite all the fancy new records, they also have some work to do on patching up the defensive side of things.  In back-to-back matches, they suffered the #3 upset of the season in Match 17, non-conf v Denali, losing when +10-rated, then topped that with a tie for the worst upset sweep of the season (Match 18, +11 v MG) which was also the #2 upset of the season!  Outside that nasty weekend, Colin has the Artichokes choking out the competition, especially at home where they went 10-1, and ended the season on a 5-game winning streak.

Arlington.  14-17 record, 5-9 conference, 6th in Big 8.  The Vermilingua ended with the sole 6-0 non-conference record, topping all contenders not familiar with their snaky-tongued ways.  They also tied their team-record for top Blowout, with a +35 pt beatdown of Ames in Match 4 (conference play).  When not pulling upsets in the Big 8 to dash the hopes of the also-rans (including wins over Dallas, Quincy & Columbia), David's Anteaters also finished 7th in the TMVL Cup this season, setting a new team high in that competition.  Add in a 5* and 4* recruit for next season, and we're not going to have to wait long to see if the new-look Anteaters can claw their way up the Big 8 standings next season.

Antioch.  17-18 record, 7-7 conference, 4th in SEC.  The GlowGuppies at face value seem to have had just a 'meh' season at .500 in the conference and overall.  The BUM Report is here to unveil the more nefarious signs and give you warning about things to come.  They showed up in the conference tourney finals for starters, which they haven't done since season 5.  More disturbingly, the Deep Sea Denizens have never pulled more than two upsets in a single season.  Until now.  This season?  They pulled six, including a -8 major upset in the Conference Tourney Semis over #2-seeded Nashville!  They also tied a team record for five 5-set wins, showing a marked change in luck.  And on top of that, somehow we all screwed up and let Rob get the overall #3 ranked recruiting class with his pick of the 4* litter.  If Olmec has stopped beating Rob down with overall lousy 'luck,' how are the rest of us supposed to keep beating him?  If the GlowGuppies' talent pool ups its collective ante to go with his A-potential Fr MB already on the roster, will we see another SEC power rising to upseat the current powers-that-be?  This is highly disturbing for those with long-standing rivalries against the DemonFish.  We're going to airfry some fish sticks as a comfort snack before continuing with this write-up...

Baton Rouge.  7-25 record, 5-9 conference, tied 6th in SEC.  Ah, the hated Red Stick.  And by hated, I don't just mean by everyone's favorite BUM Report editor.  Even Olmec had it out for Mike H and the Bananaramamen this season.  Perhaps it was in response to their early season mailed in match 3, WGM group opener v Carlsbad.  They 'played' a 52-rated team, which coupled with Phil's 53, ended up the #2 combined lowest neutral rating of the season.  After that, they got exactly one gift.  In the Holyoke opener, they upset the Mules (Quoted from the Quincy manager: "Of course it would be us! It's hard enough rebuilding this roster without getting that kind of help from our AI Overlord!"), which helped the Fern Fruit to advance to the Holyoke Quarterfinals, tying their team high in the competition only to face eventual champ Spokane in a Halpin Brothers grudge match.  Perhaps that was Olmec's motive in the earlier upset.  Advance only to suffer a more personal defeat!  Outside the sole Holyoke match, I'm hard-pressed to find an unluckier manager this season.  In every other match where Mike's boys were rated at +5 or lower, they lost.  In the 'could go either way' range where luck plays out more than talent, rated +4 to -4 vs. the opponent, they went a perfect 0-for-9.  And in the "Olmec is definitely pulling your heart strings now" category of 5-set matches, Baton Rouge lost 10.  TEN five-set losses this season!  That's a new TMVL record (at least back to season 9 when the BUM report started tracking such things)!  And not one any of us wants to break in season 16.  We're almost sorry for Mike and the Bananas.  Almost.  That's how bad of a season they had it.  No doubt, things can only improve in season 16! (had to get that curse in there ;-p)

Burlington.  14-17 record, 8-6 conference, tied 3rd in Big East.  Aires and his BullyFrogs had a mediocre season by their standards.  They landed around .500 though it took a late season 4-game win streak to pull up to that mark, along with the late run of conference wins to get up to 3rd and some bonus RP.  On the plus side, they nailed recruiting with two 5*s coming in next season, and will surely push the Big East powers for a higher conference slot again.

Carlsbad.  18-15 record, 11-3 conference, 1st place in PAC 8.  Congrats to the repeat PAC 8 conference champs!  Phil pulled off this feat with what appears to be shrewd camoflage of intent, picking and choosing where to win matches as befitting the ambush predators that are Chameleons.  In some matches, Phil was clearly not trying to win.  Examples include match 3, WGM group match 1 vs Baton Rouge.  Carlsbad played a 53-rated team to go with Red Stick's 52, and the 105 combined rating was the #2 lowest neutral court rating of the season.  Matches 15 and 17, both non-conference and away matches, Team Hypercolor sent the Littlest Lizards they could muster, with matching 49 ratings that were good for the #2 lowest away ratings of the season.  And then there was Match 18, non-conference at home v Starkville.  Eduard wasn't exactly trying to win this one, playing a 59 away-rated squad.  Phil was trying even less, playing a 53-rated team, at home.  That is the #3 lowest home rating we've seen since season 9, possibly all-time!  The combined #2 lowest-rated home/away match of the season.  And it was competitive!  Sets one, two and three all went to extra points, and the Chameleons ended up pulling the -6 upset!  The lowest home mark we saw all season, and they won!  While not the biggest upset, it certainly gets credit for the most unexpected!  They also hit a high set-point mark in Match 30 (TMVL Cup, round 2) where their set 2 went to 35-37, good for the 3rd-highest set of the season.  Overall though, the Chameleons simply won the close ones in the conference.  They were one of three teams to never suffer an upset, being a perfect 14-0 when evenly-rated or higher.  And they pulled off 4 upsets themselves!  In the 'neutral zone' of matches, where a team is rated +4 to -4 vs. the opponent and anything routinely happens, the Long-Tongued Lizards went 8-1, a win clip of 88.9% and the best in the league this season.  They weren't the strongest team in the conference, they were just strong enough when it mattered.  Adding on a 5*OH recruit and a 4*RS for depth isn't going to make it easier for the PAC 8 to upset Phil's Three-Peat Bandwagon, and with those eyes you can give up on trying to sneak up on them.  That's their game.

Cincinnati. 23-11 record, 8-6 conference, tied 3rd in Big East.  Congrats to the TMVL Cup Champion Hogs (their third)!  Yet another 20+ win season for James T and Porkopolis, and another shiny thing for the cabinets.  Along the way, they pulled some interesting new matches and set some new team marks.  They started slow this year, dropping some weaker lines in the WGM Group play.  Match 3, their combined 112 match rating was the #3 lowest neutral court rating of the season.  Match 6, and they again played the Hovering Piglets, and yet were rewarded with a -9 Upset Sweep, 2nd-highest of the season!  Match 16 and they started getting competitive, WGM Sweet 16 versus Denali.  Three sets went to extra points, and the match finished at 238 total points, #2 on the season.  Match 30, TMVL Cup round 2, and they took set 2 to 35-37, our #3 highest-scoring set.  And not being done yet, in Match 39, conference play at Alton, it was an aerial battle sublime with set 5 going to 19-21 before it was over, our highest-scoring set 5 of the season and good for 232 total points, tied for #3 on the season.  And on top of all that, they set new marks dear to the BUM Report faithful, setting a new team record for most upsets in a season!  Porkopolis led the league in win percentage in matches where they were NOT favored, winning an astounding 7 upsets, and going 7-10 overall as the 'weaker' team (41.2% win rate).  Was James just giving us all a fighting chance this season?  Can we expect to see Cinci as the lesser rated team in half their matches next season too?  Could be, as they 'only' nabbed 2 4* recruits, though both were +1 or +2 rated on a stat, and they have a cool 2500 RP sitting and waiting to scoop up the player of their choice early next season as well.  If Olmec continues to favor the Flying Bacon Bits in upset wins, do any of us have a chance?

Columbia.  18-18 record, 3-11 conference, 8th place in BIG 8.  The team went .500 overall, and last in their conference.  Clearly an off season for the Round Red Regiment.  What did they accomplish?  Only winning the top seed and going on to claim their third WGM Trophy!  Congrats, Steve!  Being one of three teams to not suffer an upset (13-0 when + rated), they rode their top mark to perfection in the WGM.  After that?  Not so much success.  It really makes us at the BUM Report wonder what Steve was up to.  Sandbagging this season to get more favorable non-conference matches next season?  Lulling the conference to sleep for a season only to wreak havoc over upstarts Portland and Dallas next year?  Setting or tying some team records so they're in his name?  We're going with the latter, as Stevie Wunderkind set some team marks not seen since season 1 when the team was under a prior manager!  What marks might those be?  First, a winless away record!  The Crazy Ones went 0-11 away.  This was only matched by a winless first season for Columbia (0-13) when they were the Blue Crabs.  Second, Steve dropped to last (8th) in the BIG 8, which also had not been seen in Columbia since season 1!  Having claimed those titles, will we see a return to winning ways soon?  Incoming 5*OH and 4*S recruits will certainly help the climb back up the conference table.  As will efforts like in Match 45, TMVL Cup round 5, when Steve pulled the #3 reverse blowout of the season, where Columbia won in 5 sets despite being outscored overall by 8 pts for the match.  As this team showed this season with a last-place finish and a WGM trophy, you don't have to win 'em all, you just have to win a few that really count!

Dallas. 17-14 record, 7-7 conference, 4th in BIG 8.  Craig finished the season with a winning record and a new team record for best TMVL Cup finish as the Runners-Up this season!  Congrats for the Cup final!  Craig played his usual unpredictable style in match strengths, keeping managers guessing, while prepping for future seasons with a 3-set of 4* recruits.  This team didn't set any other team marks or season records apart from their overall rating.  The 88.4 T7 score going into the season is the highest we've seen at Dallas in the past five seasons.  If that continues to rise, we can only expect their conference place to climb as well.  Future wins over Big 8 foes seem less likely to be upsets than ever.

Denali.  25-13 record, 10-4 conference, 2nd in PAC 8.  Andy and the Livid Lupines are on the hunt!  Though they didn't nab any hardware this season, they set new team marks and had a host of near-wins.  They were the Shield Runners-Up for the first time in team history, a new best finish in the competition.  They coupled that with a Conference Tourney runner-up to make two finals, while also appearing in the WGM semis and National Championship semis!  They had the most wins of all teams in season 15, setting a new team record.  The Pack stalked down a 9-match win streak, and won 14 matches by 3-set sweeps, both new team records.  They also tied a team high with 6 upset wins!  How big of upsets, you ask?  The BUM Report knows!  They had two of the top three this season!  Match 17, non-conf v Ames, coming in at -10 rating and leaving with the win and #3 overall upset.  Match 14, conference play at San Diego, where they topped that with a -11 rating, and got the Upset Sweep!  This tied the #1 upset sweep, and #2 overall upset of the season, while also now tying the #2 largest upset sweep ever!  And when not pulling the upsets, they were duking it out with perennial powers for high-scoring antics.  Match 16, WGM round of 16, at Cinci.  3 sets went to extra points, and they finished with 238 pts in the match, #2 on the season.  Match 23, conference tourney semis v San Jose.  Set 5 went to 17-19 before Denali finally won, our #3 highest set 5 score of the season.  What are the odds that Andy's going to top any of those marks or claim some silverware next season?  Pretty good, if the recruiting class is any indicator.  The Wolves also pulled the #1-rated recruiting season, with 2 5* and 2 4* recruits, while still entering season 16 with over 2300 RP to spend!  Clinic presented, and we've all been served.  Fear the Pack!

Kentucky. 10-22 record, 3-11 conference, 8th in SEC.  Matt has the Kittens headed in the right direction, as their 80.7 T7 to enter the season is the highest on record for Kentucky.  They also doubled their win total from last year, and pulled several upsets along the way.  Tops of those was also tops for the league!  At #1 Upset of the Season (tied), we go to Match 44, conference play at Teutopolis.  The Black Cats were rated -12 vs the Dust Devils, and despite getting trounced in two sets managed to pull out two others and take it a key fifth set where they pulled the Top Upset and escaped town before the wrath of the tornadoes could find their bus route!  Congrats, Matt, and best of fortunes building the team up more with your 4* OH & S recruits!

Manitowoc. 15-17 record, 5-9 conference, tied 6th in Big East.  Derek is perpetually looking up at some of the league's toughest teams in the Big East, and is slowing clawing their way up the Big East skyscraper.  They finished with new team records for most wins (15) and best winning % (46.9%), most 3-set sweep wins (6) and most 5-set wins (4)!  They made it to the WGM Cup Sweet 16 for the first time in team history, and also had their highest-ever finish in the TMVL Cup (14th)!  Along the way, they continued to upset teams and set top-three season marks in the BUM Report's favorite categories.  Match 13, conference play at Sheboygan.  Despite being rated -7, they battled to a record match result!  4 sets went to extra points, including winning set 4 by a 38-36 final score, #2 on the season and #3 all-time, and eventually lost in set 5 by a final 18-20 score, tied for #2 highest 5-set of the year.  They 268 total points scored was #1 on the season by a full 30 points over #2, and came in at the #2 all-time for points scored in a single match.  Match 18, non-conference at Ames, -11 rated.  What does that matter to the Igneous Walltoppers?  Nada.  Upset Sweep, baby!  Tied for #1 overall upset sweep of the season, #2 overall upset, and ties the #2 mark for largest upset sweep in TMVL BUM-recored history!  Congrats, Derek!

Mat-Su. 18-19 record, 6-8 conference, tied 5 PAC 8.  Kicking off with an 0-4 start to the season, our contingent from the Matanuska-Susitna Valleys finished off in the National Championship Finals!  Though they dropped that last match in a tight fifth set, they still celebrated their first ever Nat'l Finals appearance on top of being the PAC 8 Tourney Champs!  They took their sweet time building up speed (and wins), though anyone who has been around a Moose knows that they're rather hard to rush anywhere they don't want to be!  Match 2, conference @ Santa Clara.  Sent out a 51-rated team, tied for #3 lowest away rating of the season.  Match 6, WGM group play, though +9 rated over Cinci, they got swept, the #2 upset sweep of the season.  Match 15, non-conf @ Merritt Island, combined 117 rating was the #3 lowest home/away match of the season.  And then they decided to start playing...  Match 19.  Conference tourney quarters v Albuquerque.  The Meese bugled their way to a home 92-rated team!  The 'Coons sent out the Pups, rated 52.  The +40 ratings difference was the highest of the season, and the highest overall since we started tracking match ratings in season 9!  Was it our biggest blowout also?  No!  The Merciful Meese only won by 35 combined, not even a top 3 blowout of the season!  Olmec rewarded their kindness with a stellar tourney run for the eventual champs.  The Moose also showed off their power as one of the top overall teams this season, befitting their finals appearance. Match 25, non-conf v Ames and Match 44, conference v San Jose, the Antlered Army played 93-rated home teams, tied for #3 highest of the season.  6 times they played a 90-rated neutral team, again a #3 mark, including all 4 Nat'l Tourney matches.  That led to some great matches against New Orelans (91) in the Quarterfinals, 181 combined #3 neutral mark, and in the Finals against Starkville (92), where the 182 was the #2 mark.  Can they continue the top marks and finish with a winning record next season?  They'll need a faster start to the season, so watch out for sneaky Meese in session 1!

Mendon. 17-18 record, 6-8 conference, 5th in Big East.  Mendon had a season of near-misses in some hotly contested matches, ultimately just losing out more than they won.  The Fighting Fungi did lay down some of their own knockout punches though, none bigger than Match 16, WGM round of 16, a home-rated 90 match against Mat-Su.  The Moose came to play as well, and had no chance.  A sweep by Mendon by a combined 42 points ended up our #3 Blowout of the Season, while also setting a new #1 blowout for Mendom's team record!  PvR also played hard in the conference tourney, ultimately losing in the semis at Sheboygan by dropping set 5 at 18-20, tying the #2 mark for highest scoring set 5s.  A 5* and 2 4* spores landing in the Manure Pile to start budding their way toward maturity has to have the rest of the Big East on edge as well.  Over 2100 RP to start season 16 and only two players on the entire roster with less than a B-rating potential has the future looking as dark and musty as the Mushrooms love it!

Merritt Island. 10-24 record, 5-9 conference, tied 6th SEC.  The Do-Rag'd Dugongs continue to perform their practiced piracy with aplomb, catching managers off guard and plundering points aplenty!  Arrrr, ye Scurvy Seacows!  Mark's Manatees made their second-ever finals appearance, finishing as the Holyoke Runners-Up.  They also were the 'least upset' team for Season 15!  While they were one of three teams to not suffer an outright upset, the Manatees also won every match when rated -2 or better than their opponent, so they get the nod for least upset overall.  And to rub that in for the rest of us, they also pulled off a -9 upset five-set win for a new team record for largest upset (match 2, conference @ Kentucky)!  And when not giving opposing managers fits about trying to guess their lineups, they were also mastering the recruiting tradewinds.  2 5*s and a 4* later, and Merritt Island is set for sailing in fairer waters this coming season and beyond.  Keep the lookouts awake when the Jolly Rogers come calling!  They are not nearly as docile as their Manatee reputation.

Nashville. 22-12 record, 12-2 conference, 1st in SEC.  Congrats to Roy on a stellar conference season and to SEC MVP Isaac McAdoo (MB)!  Nashville came out as one of the top teams to beat, and showed it early.  They were playing 90+ lineups by session 5, and peaked in ratings at away 91 (match 39, conference @ New Orleans, cominbed 185 tied for #2 all season); Home 95 (match 44, conference v Starkville, combined 187 rating #1 for the season, #2 all-time!); Neutral 91 (match 42, Nat'l semi v Starkville, combined 183 #1 neutral match all season)!  Couple that with the highest scoring set of the year (match 5, conf v. New Orleans) and the topping on the proverbial cake, our #1 Blowout of the Season!  Match 10, conference play vs. T-Town and the Twisters.  The Firefoxes were rated +36 (88 to 52), tied for third-highest difference of the season.  They ended up sweeping the Dust Devils, and set 3 ended 7-25, the third-lowest points allowed of the season.  Finishing with a +44 blowout, Roy's Red Devils showed no mercy!  He pairs on-court success with off-court recruiting, landing a 5* and 2 4*s for next season's continued SEC dominance (outside of Starkville on neutral court).

New Orleans. 21-13 record, 8-6 conference, 3rd in SEC. Also rans for another season, the Rats put out top-two teams in terms of ratings strength, yet were the only team to do so and not win a title this season.  91 away (Match 44), 94 home (match 39), 91 neutral (match 37, Nat'l Quarters), and early losses in each big tourney.  Highlight of the season for them was very early, Match 5, conference play at Nashville.  Set 1 went 39-37 to the Rats, the highest scoring set of the season and the #2 highest of all time in TMVL!  So there's that.  And perennial hope for next season as we slink off to The Swamp and lick our wounds.

Pekin. 24-10 record, 12-2 conference, 1st in BIG 8.  Congrats on a fantastic season to Roger and the Legume Legion, with their accolades including Big 8 Champs (a four-peat!); Big 8 Tourney Champs (also a four-peat!), and TMVL Shield Champs (1st ever for Pekin)!  They had the Player of the Year and Big 8 MVP on the roster, Setter Danny Kirk, who keyed their big wins that led to finishing #1 in both ELO and NET ratings!  They finished on a 6-match win streak and had two prior 5-match streaks in the season.  They were one of two teams (Starkville) who were putting out 90+ lineups by session 3, topping at 93 at home and 90 neutral.  Their Shield round 2 matchup against ShieldMaster Eduard and Starkville combined for a 182 rating, tied for 2nd-highest of the season.  With all those highlights, what can we point out from the other end of the spectrum?  Apparently the Pod People have some misformed ones in the midst, hidden amongst the vines.  They let them out on occasion. This season, it was in match 3, WGM group play. Pekin fielded a neutral court 40.  Forty!  That tracks as the lowest lineup, any venue, ever! (at least since we started recording ratings in season 9).  The prior low was a 43.  The combined 97-rating for the match (with Alton's 57) is the #2 lowest all-time combined match rating as well.  When they're powered up, they're the team to beat. When they're powered down, they set a new mark for worst of all time. Always something entertaining from Roger and the Legume Legion!  Best of luck to the rest of the Big 8 keeping them from an unprecedented 5-peat in conference and/or tournament play, as they only added 2 5* players for next season...

Portland. 18-15 record, 10-4 conference, 2nd in BIG 8.  Antionne and the 'Jacks had a solid season, particularly in conference play where they finished 2nd in a very balanced Big 8.  The Flanneled Fellsmen built in strength all season, peaking with 90+ lineups in home lineups in matches 29 and 44.  Then again, they also put out a hatchet-team with a 46 lineup in match 3, WGM group play v. Cinci.  That was the #2 lowest neutral lineup, and the combined 112 was #2 lowest for the season and #3 all-time!  Most amazingly to me, their "all or nothing" national tourneys streak continues.  In Season 11, they won it all, being National Champs.  In every other season, they have lost in the opener of the National or Holyoke Tourney.  Watch out in Season 16 if they win an opening round match!

Quincy. 17-17 record, 6-8 conference, 5th in Big 8.  A 50/50 season.  17-17 record, mid-table finish, semis in conference tourney, 4th in TMVL Cup, Quarters in WGM.  Not bad.  Not up to the Stubborn Ones' typical standards.  Every recruiting hit high and low for an average season, with a 5*OH(!) and 2 3*s(eh).  Not a winning season, and yet also not a losing season which would have been olny the 2nd in team history!  Expectations for a big bounce back season are high in Quincy.  Can the Biters bite back into contention, or will Al let upstarts in Dallas and Portland take a more permenant perch about the Mules?  We expect Al's luck to even out with a few more upsets next season.  Or even just a 'not upset' as they dropped their evenly rated matches too, particularly an in-house rivalry that shall go unnamed for now.  Better luck next season, Al, from a fellow also-ran.

San Diego. 8-23 record, 4-10 conference, 7th in PAC 8.  3 4* recruits will help Team Xithos swipe and slash their way back to a higher conference mark.  The luck just didn't fall their way this season, as they tied for the most times being upset this season (6, with Alton).  In Match 14, conference play at home v Denali, they suffered the biggest insult to match-record injury, getting blasted by a -11 upset sweep, which tied the top upset sweep and #2 overall sweep of the season.  They weren't handed any large ones themselves, and splashed their way to a Pokemon-esque "Use Struggle!" kind of end result.  Will the BladeBeaks revert to their stabby and blood-letting ways in season 16 with a little more Olmec love?  The team is certainly set, and their manager is no stranger to hunting down more powerful prey from the depths of the Deep Blue.

San Jose. 20-14 record, 6-8 conference, 5th in PAC 8.  The Shrimpies finished in TMVL Cup play with a 3rd place mark, their highest ever finish in the competition.  Congrats to Vick!  And yet they managed to avoid any titles or finals despite winning 20 matches.  They did earn the lowest away lineup of the season, with a league-low 48 at San Diego in match 1.  Nothing like setting the bar early!  Things picked up as the season progressed though, when they took Denali to 17-19 in set 5 in the Conference Tourney semis before falling, 3rd-highest set 5 of the season.  A 5* MB will help reset the conference order to faovr the Crustacean Crew in coming seasons, yet Vick is going to have to get some better luck in road games in the PAC 8 to push for another conference title.  The standards are high in San Jose, and next season's team has a lot to live up to.

Santa Clara. 9-24 record, 3-11 conference, 8th in PAC 8.  Martyn's Diminutive Doggies nabbed a solid 4* setter recruit to help the rebuild, and flashed some defensive might in match 18 by holding Baton Rouge to just 5 points in a 5-set win, the lowest allowed this season for a fifth set.  The Purse Puppies also tied their team record with five 5-set victories, harrying their prey with vicious ankle bites and being overall very distracting to the servers.  Their Holyoke quarterfinal finish ties another team best (4th time making it that far) as they continue to pick and choose their fights.  Not yet ready to go toe-to-toe with the conference powers, Santa Clara will have another season or two of shrewd recruiting to do before they can start running with the big dogs.  In the mean time, continue to take them as walkovers at your own peril!  This is the first time in four seasons that they didn't have a top 3 upset, yet still had several, taking down far larger prey than one would expect.  Best of fortunes in season 16, Martyn.

Schenectady.  13-18 record, 5-9 conference, tie 6th in Big East.  Squirreltown was in rebuild mode this season.  They picked some battles to claw and scrape, and clearly scampered for high tree tops in others, content to throw acorns (and the freshman) at other foes, especially on the road.  Despite that, Brian finished 4th in the TMVL Shield competition, tying a team high for final place.  They also pulled a rare oddity worth noting by BUM standards: they won only one match by 3-set sweep.  Clearly looking to build XP this season, the Arboreal Rodents won three 5-set matches, and the other nine were 4-set wins.  No other team had such a glaring lack of sweeps, as Brian continues to refuse to be pigeon-holed into predictable tactics and game results.  They also squirreled away a 5* setter and 4* OH for next season.  If the OH rolls decent, they will have an A-potential underclassman at every position, and will be well on their way toward building a solid first team.  Keep the rebuild rolling!

Sheboygan. 17-16 record, 9-5 conference, 2nd in Big East.  Big East Tourney Champs (4th time in team history)!  John's Bloodsuckers also pulled an 8-match win streak, a new team high.  They landed a full four recruits to set themselves up for future growth, and had some very entertaining matches to view!  Despite early non-efforts like match 3, WGM group v Columbia, where they fielded a 48-rated team (3rd lowest neutral rating of the year), they would go on to set some high-scoring marks.  Match 13, conference play home v Manitowoc, in a 5-set win they scored out at 23-25, 29-27, 25-27, 38-36, and 18-20!  Set 4 was the 2nd highest of the season and #3 all-time!  Set 5 tied for the 2nd highest 5th-set score of the season as well.  The 268 total points were the highest we saw, 30 higher than #2, and came in at #2 all-time!  They would also nab the #3 highest-scoring match in match 45, TMVL Cup round 5 against Tucson, where set 3 went to 35-33 and set 5 14-16, totaling 232 points for the match.  In match 23, conference tourney semis against Mendon, they pulled out the 18-20 5th-set win, tying their own #2 mark for 5th-set points, and won the match despite being outscored by 9 points overall, the 2nd-highest Reverse Upset of the season.  Of course, because it's John, Olmec had to toy with him as well, and in Match 21, non-conf v Albuquerque, the Bats suffered a -6 Upset Sweep, the 2nd-highest of the season.  A trophy in the box, 4 recruits on the campus, a winning record on the books, and hopes as high as the Bats after feasting on the crowd at a Grateful Dead tribute concert, things are looking up around The Cave!

Spokane. 17-17 record, 4-10 conference, 8th in Big East.  Congrats to the Holyoke Champs!  1st time in team history, and 1st team trophy/title!  The 'Squatch got a roll late this season, and set some new team marks along the way.  They had two separate 4-match win streaks, and a whopping eight 5-set wins! Next highest in the league was at 6 this season, so no one liked the high-pressure drama like the Hairy Forestmen!  They also set some marks in match 13, conference v Alton.  They were at home and -12 rated (89 to 77), and didn't seem to care.  Of course it went to 5 sets, and after toying with the Eagles the 'Squatch pulled out the late victory, tying the mark for Upset of the Season!  They won the match despite being outscored by 10 points, so this match also set the bar for Reverse Blowout of the Season, and sets the new Spokane team record for largest upset.  And they landed 2 5* recruits and a 4*, so there's that.  Should the Big East start to Fear the Forestmen?  Now that Jason's media-shy crew have gotten a taste of title town, will that turn into a craving for multiple more?

St. Charles. 12-20 record, 4-10 conference, 7th in BIG 8.  When you have won as many titles and trophies as the GourdHeads, a league-average season looks like the sky is falling.  They never got out of the grain field to make a conference run, and though they pulled a few upsets in Cup matches, they didn't make any finals.  They continued to give teams fits, like in match 39, conference play v Ames, where 3 sets went to extra points and they finished with a combined total of 232 points, tied for 3rd-most this season.  Outside of a few splashy upset wins though, it was mostly quiet along the edges of the Mississippi.  Perhaps the talent influx of a 5* OH and 4* S next season will liven this bunch again.  Or maybe Max was just too distracted by a final real season of play to give it his all in his digital persona.  In either case, don't sleep on the 'Crows in Season 16.  There is too much potential for a repeat mid-pack performance.

Starkville. 24-14 record, 10-4 conference, 2nd in SEC.  All Hail the National Champions!  Congrats, Eduard, on the first national title for the Bloodhounds, and you did it the hard way!  No upsets all season.  They did win their only evenly-rated match, yet were never gifted with a win that may have been undeserved.  How dominant were the Down South Doggies this season?  Every 'top-rated' match involved Starkville.  They were playing 95-rated teams at home by match 19, top lineup of the season and only Nashville managed to tie that mark, in their last home match of the season.  Away 92, #1 (Match 44 @ Nashville).  Neutral 92, #1, for all four National Tourney matches, the only team to hit that mark.  Match 39 conference play vs. Merritt Island, they held the Manatees to 5 pts in set 3, lowest of the season. Match 19 conference tourney quarters they held Kentucky to 6 points in set 1, 2nd lowest, claiming both marks!  Highest combined game ratings? 187, match 44 @ Nashville, which was good for #2 all-time!  National Semis v Nashville? 183 combined, #1 neutral of the year.  The only real shocker to this season was in the TMVL Shield, where they lost to the other league powerhouse, Pekin, in the quarterfinals after making 5 straight Shield finals.  No doubt, they were happy to trade a Shield for the Natty, yet I'm also certain that they will be coming back to claim their personal prize next season as well.  Nabbing two 5*s at the premium positions (S & OH) is horrible to watch for the league as a whole, and especially for those of us in the SEC. We can only hope Eduard's not-love from Olmec reverts to regular programming if the rest of us want shiny things next season.  If they get any upset gifts, we could see our first-ever sweep of titles.

Teutopolis. 17-18 record, 6-8 conference, 5th in SEC.  Congrats to the SEC Tourney Champs!  That marks the 2nd tourney title for T-Town in a season of some big highs and low lows.  Nothing was straight and steady in Twisterville!  In BUM-worthy notes, Mike's Dust Devils set a new team record for biggest blowout! Match 1, conference v Nashville, T-Town won by a combined 43 pts, our #2 blowout of the season. Of course, they then turned around in the rematch, match 10 conference @ Nashville, and lost by a combined 44 for the biggest blowout, selfishly grabbing both ends of the spectrum!  In match 2, they sent out a gust of warm wind that couldn't get a tumbleweed going, playing a 51-away-rated team at New Orleans (tied 3rd-lowest) and followed that with a similar effort in match 8, conference play v Merritt Island, 55 at home (#2 lowest home rating).  When they tried, they played some great defense this season holding opponents to the lowest 5th-set points of the season in match 12, WGM round 2 v Kentucky (5 pts allowed) and in regular sets holding Portland to just 7 pts in match 6, WGM group play (tied 3rd-lowest).  Similarly breezy and still, they played both ends in the upset department as well!  Match 23, conference tourney semis, 88 road lineup at Starkville who played a 95 (highest of year!).  Not deterred by the best lineup we saw this season, C-Ball and the Twisters pulled the stunning -7 upset in the match that gave us our #3 highest total lineup strengths (combined 183) to set both a new team record and to pull their 3rd upset of the season, also a new team record!  Then they capped the year off with a home conference loss to Kentcuky in match 44, suffering the -12 upset, tied for worst of the season!  Nothing predictable in the Trailer Park for this season!  As a side note, they matched their team record for most 5-set wins at 4, and also landed a nice recruiting class with a 5* and 2 4*s.  Just one match away from a winning season this year, no doubt C-Ball will be looking to make headwinds in the SEC tables and finish with a winning season and perhaps another trophy to soon come.

Tucson. 20-15 record, 8-6 conference, tied 3rd in PAC 8.  Amy set new team marks for most wins (20) and best winning %!  Congrats on a solid season to the WGM runner-up, which is also their first WGM finals appearance and best team finish.  They tied a team mark with sweeping dominance, mostly at the Spike Dome, with 12 3-set sweeps on the season.  They tied another record with 4 upsets this year, and played some tough matches to the final whistle, including match 45, TMVL Cup round 5 v Sheboygan, where set 3 went to 35-33 and set 5 to a final 14-16 mark on the way to the 3rd (tied) highest scoring match of the season.  With their first 20-win season on the books now, how much higher do the Cacti intend to reach next season, adding a 5* OH and a 4* to the ranks?  Will they step up to challenge Big Hat McIntosh for a conference title, or aim for Cup glory instead?  In either case, Amy has this team building in power and wins, and turning up the heat in the desert for visiting teams!

Did we miss any treasured highlights or lowlights for your team?  If so, leave a comment below before Season 15 fades from memory and Season 16 takes our attention to new and ever-more-BUM-worthy records!