Gators Earn No. 8 Ranking in AVCA Preseason Poll
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 | Volleyball
The Florida volleyball team, coming off a 27-4 record and an NCAA Regional Semifinal appearance in 2008,was ranked No. 8 in the 2009 American Volleyball Coaches Association Division I Preseason Coaches Top-25 Poll, the AVCA office in Lexington, Ky., announced Tuesday.
The AVCA's top five teams include two-time defending NCAA Champion Penn State (No. 1), 2008 NCAA semifinalist Texas (No. 2), 2008 NCAA semifinalist Nebraska (No. 3), Washington (No. 4) and 2008 NCAA runner-up Stanford (No. 5).
The Gators are one of two Southeastern Conference teams in the top-25 poll as Eastern Division foe Kentucky, which is coming off of its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, checks in at No. 21. League opponents LSU and Tennessee also are receiving votes in the poll.
Florida's non-conference opponents ranked in the 2009 AVCA preseason poll are No. 4 Washington and No. 5 Stanford.
Florida's ranking marks the 13th year in a row that it has garnered a spot in the AVCA's preseason top 10, a feat that only two other schools in the nation – Nebraska and Stanford – can claim. The ranking also is the 16th top-10 preseason rating in head coach Mary Wise's tenure in Gainesville, as well as the 18th time her squad has been regarded as one of the nation's top-12 teams heading into the season.
Florida opens its 2009 season on Friday, Aug. 28, when it plays host to UNLV on the opening night of the Campus USA Credit Union Invitational. Opening serve is set for 7 p.m. EST.
The University of Florida is home to the 2009 NCAA Volleyball Regional. To order 2009 regular season and NCAA Regional tickets, log on to www.GatorZone.com/tickets. Follow Florida Volleyball on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GatorZoneVB and Coach Mary Wise on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GatorMary.
2009 AVCA DIVISION I COACHES PRESEASON TOP-25 POLL
1. Penn State (52)
2. Texas (6)
3. Nebraska
4. Washington (2)
5. Stanford
6. Cal
7. Hawai'i
8. Florida
9. UCLA
10. Illinois
11. Minnesota
12. Southern Cal
13. Iowa State
14. Oregon
15. San Diego
16. Michigan
17. Utah
18. Wichita State
19. Purdue
20. St. Louis
21. Kentucky
22. Kansas State
23. Long Beach State
24. Colorado State
25. Santa Clara
Others receiving votes and appearing on two or more ballots: Pepperdine, Duke, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Western Michigan, New Mexico State, Wright State, St. Mary's (Calif.), UC-Irvine, Tulane, Ohio, LSU, Arizona, Cal Poly, Tennessee, Louisville, Michigan State, San Francisco, Baylor, Missouri State, Oklahoma, Middle Tennessee State, Rice.
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