MADISON, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin volleyball team is ranked fourth in the USA Today/AVCA Top 25 Preseason Coaches poll released Aug. 13 and seventh in the Volleyball Magazine preseason poll released today. The rankings are the highest preseason marks ever for the Badgers in both polls. The previous bests were seventh in the AVCA poll and 12th in the Volleyball poll both in 1998.
Wisconsin ended the 2000 season ranked second in the USA Today poll with a 33-4 mark. The Badgers advanced to the 2000 NCAA Championship match, losing to Nebraska in a very close five games. The UW loses three starters from that team including 1999 second-team all-American Jenny Maastricht and the 2000 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Claudia Rodriguez.
Nebraska is the overwhelming favorite to win its second consecutive NCAA title in 2001 according to the coaches’ poll. Nebraska finished the 2000 season with a 34-0 record and returns five starters. USC, which finished fourth in the 2000 poll with a 29-3 mark, received two first-place votes and is ranked second. Preseason Big Ten favorite Penn State (30-6/6th in 2000) is ranked third with Wisconsin (33-4/2nd) fourth. NCAA championship participant Hawai’i (31-2/3rd) rounds out the top five.
Two other Big Ten schools are ranked with Minnesota (30-4/11th) in 15th and Ohio State (26-7/15th)in 16th. Michigan State and Michigan receive votes.
In the Volleyball Magazine poll, Nebraska is also picked as the preseason favorite. Stanford (19-12 in 2000) is ranked second and Long Beach State (24-8) is third. USC and Hawai’i round out the top five.
Wisconsin is the highest ranked Big Ten team in the Volleyball poll with Penn State coming in eighth. Minnesota is again picked 15th while Ohio State is ranked 17th. Michigan and Michigan State receive votes.
USA Today/AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll
Preseason
2000
School (1st Place) Pts. Record/Poll
1 Nebraska (63) 1623 34-0/1st
2 USC (2) 1472 29-3/4th
3 Penn State 1374 30-6/6th
4 Wisconsin 1320 33-4/2nd
5 Hawai’i 1261 31-2/3rd
6 Arizona 1178 28-5/5th
7 UCLA 1098 25-8/7th
8 Long Beach State 1091 24-8/14th
9 Florida 1084 29-5/12th
10 Stanford 1017 19-12/19th
11 Brigham Young 989 26-7/13th
12 Pacific 950 28-4/8th
13 UC Santa Barbara 882 26-8/9th
14 Colorado State 866 32-5/10th
15 Minnesota 724 30-4/11th
16 Ohio State 638 26-7/15th
17 Pepperdine 606 24-7/18th
18 Texas A&M 481 20-9/23rd
19 Kansas State 354 22-9/16th
20 Notre Dame 278 26-7/21st
21 Utah 254 23-8/20th
22 Santa Clara 232 27-5/17th
23 South Carolina 172 22-7/NR
24 Loyola Marymount 155 20-9/25th
25 Georgia Tech 123 25-8/NR
Others receiving points: Louisville (112), Missouri (109), Colorado (108), Washington State (102), Michigan State (88), North Carolina (62), Northern Iowa (58), Utah State (33), Michigan (26), Texas Tech (20), University of San Diego (18), South Florida (17), Tennessee (16), Arizona State (15), Baylor (14), Duke (13), Arkansas (12), Florida State (11), Western Michigan (9), Fairfield (8), Cal Poly (8), Northern Arizona (5), UW-Milwaukee (4), San Jose State (3)
Volleyball Magazine Poll
Preseason
School 2000 Record
1 Nebraska 34-0
2 Stanford 19-12
3 Long Beach State 24-8
4 USC 29-3
5 Hawai’i 31-2
6 Florida 29-5
7 Wisconsin 33-4
8 Penn State 30-6
9 Arizona 28-5
10 Brigham Young 26-7
11 Pacific 28-4
12 Pepperdine 24-7
13 UCLA 25-8
14 UC Santa Barbara 26-8
15 Minnesota 30-4
16 Colorado State 32-5
17 Ohio State 26-7
18 South Carolina 22-7
19 Notre Dame 26-7
20 Utah 23-8
Others: Texas A&M, Georgia Tech, Baylor, Michigan, Santa Clara, Kansas State, Michigan State, North Carolina, California, Texas, Cal Poly, Utah State
