Through a combination of raw talent, dedicated practice and fierce competition, the men's volleyball team has propelled itself to recognition and high rankings on the national level. What most people don't know is that BYU is also home to a couple of international champions, but they're not athletic teams - they're a cappella groups.

Each of the last two years, a group representing BYU has been crowned international champion of the International Competition of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA). Vocal Point was crowned the champion in 2006, and last year Noteworthy brought home the title.

Over the past two weeks, both Vocal Point and Noteworthy have traveled to the West Coast to compete against other top-notch collegiate groups in the early rounds of the ICCA competition.

Both groups had to overcome obstacles and intense competition to continue their quest toward the finals.

Half of Vocal Point nearly didn't make it to California after a glitch in the ticket ordering process left them standing at the Salt Lake Airport with no tickets. Add to that a shattered window on their flight forcing them to change planes, a member with a sprained ankle and another with a 101-degree fever.

"We had lots of crazy experiences getting there," said Vocal Point director James Stevens, "but once there, we had a great chance to get to know some of the other groups and have a lot of fun."

Noteworthy's trip was slightly less eventful, but they still faced their fair share of challenges.

"We worked so hard on our set, and we were ready to share it," said Amy Whitcomb, a sophomore from Longwood, Fla. She said the group's desire to share what they had worked so hard to prepare pushed them through the hard times.

While on stage, some members noticed a lack of enthusiasm and energy from the audience, which is vital to the energy level of the group - especially in competition. It's like a home-field advantage in the world of musical competition.

"It's not that they were a hostile crowd at all," said Ashley Mordwinow, in her second year with the group. "They just weren't as much a cappella fans as they were Oregon fans."

Noteworthy was the only group at the competition not from Oregon.

Despite their trials, both BYU groups placed second in their respective competitions, guaranteeing them a place at the semi-finals on March 15 in Marin, Calif. They will compete with groups from USC, the University of Oregon and UC Berkeley for a chance to return to the finals and potentially become only the second group in history to be two-time national champions.

"I think our prospects are good," Stevens said. "We've got some strategy in mind, and we'll see how it plays out."

Stevens didn't feel comfortable elaborating on their strategy, as there is a good chance that members of Noteworthy will read this article, and, as good of friends as they are, they are now competitors.

Copyright Brigham Young University 20 Feb 2008