Eastern volleyball head coach Brenda Winkeler is finding what exactly 26 wins and a co-conference title is worth in the national scheme of things.

According to the NCAA selection committee, that and a dollar might not get you a coffee. However, a high Ratings Percentage Index could get you a seat at the table.

“I’m grateful for the OVC to have that automatic berth,” Winkeler said. “I just really wish our RPI was higher.”

The players aren’t concerned about playing the what-if game because the Panthers know two more wins would force the NCAA to include them as the Ohio Valley Conference Champion.

“At this point, all we are thinking about is what can we do in the little time we have to sure up our consistency,” senior outside hitter Erica Gerth said.

The NCAA Tournament is a fitting end for Gerth, as Winkeler has stated the El Paso, Ill., native can certainly be mentioned when discussing the greatest Eastern player of all-time.

The 2004 NCAA Women’s Volleyball tournament is a 64-team field, and this may be how the 26-win Panthers may be on the outside looking in when the selections come out on ESPN News.

“It’s just amazing that we’ve improved so much that we are even talking about four conference selections on this team and a chance at NCAAs,” said Meran Crabtree, setter and OVC Freshman of the Year.

The Ohio Valley Conference has two teams that have above .500 records: Eastern and Eastern Kentucky, each at 15-1. The unbalance in the conference may be its undoing for the one who doesn’t hoist the trophy in Richmond, Ky.

“Jacksonville State had a good year and Morehead played schools like Louisville, so the conference does try,” Winkeler said.

The Missouri Valley Conference has Witchita State (15-1, 20-5) as its tournament favorite, but also boasts Northern Iowa (13-4, 22-8), Illinois State (11-5, 19-8), Southwest Missouri State (11-5, 19-8) and Creighton (10-6, 18-8).

The Horizon League Tournament will be hosted by University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (13-1, 19-7), but will be challenged by Butler (12-2, 18-9) and Loyola (10-4, 19-8).

“There is no doubt that with the talent on this team, we could certainly compete in conference like that,” Winkeler said. “We beat Southern Illinois and had two players hurt against Evansville but still got a win.”

It would be in Eastern’s favor to have Witchita State and UWM both run the table in the postseason tournament. However, if they fail to do so, another bubble team is added to the selection committee’s list, leaving the Panthers with one more bullet to dodge.

The real concern for the Panthers is the large conference teams that will displace spots. Ohio State (14-2, 24-2), Penn State (14-2, 23-2) and Minnesota (13-3, 24-4) all can basically pencil themselves into the field no matter the results of the Big Ten Tournament. However, Illinois (10-6, 18-7) finds themselves on the bubble after losing many starters to different injuries. With eight fewer losses to show, the Illini have a victory over the previous top-ranked Southern California at Huff Hall earlier in the year. This non-conference schedule makes the Illini record look even better.

A 3-1 season-opening win against Boston College is the only significant non-conference victory for the Panthers to put on its. The Eagles (6-4, 20-11) are fourth in the Big East and currently sitting on the fence for a NCAA Tournament selection.

“When you look at the Big Ten, from top to bottom, there’s just so much talent that the teams are all solid this time of year,” Winkeler said.

A logical alternative, if Eastern is unable to win the OVC Tournament, would be a revival of a NCAA Volleyball NIT Tournament. This would not only give these players the ability to play in a post-season situation, but also hold on to Panther fans hope to see Erica Gerth at Lantz Arena one more time before her career is over. However, for the NCAA, the dollars don’t add up.

“We are not a money-making sport, and they tried an NIT before but sponsorship fell through and it went away,” Winkeler said. “I would love to bring back an NIT, but it’s not possible in this sport.”

Twenty-six wins and Eastern could be left out. Doesn’t seem quite … I want to say fair, but this is the NCAA we are talking about. At the end of the day, maybe I should know better.