Gators Ranked No. 13 in AVCA Preseason Poll
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 | Volleyball
The Florida volleyball team, coming off a 25-6 record and an NCAA regional semifinal appearance in 2009, has earned a No. 13 ranking in the 2010 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 three-time defending NCAA Champion Penn State (No. 1), Nebraska (No. 2), 2009 NCAA runner-up Texas (No. 3), Stanford (No. 4) and 2009 NCAA semifinalist Hawaii (No. 5).
The Gators are one of four Southeastern Conference teams ranked in the top-25 poll to begin the 2010 campaign. Eastern Division foes Kentucky (No. 14) and Tennessee (No. 19) and 2009 SEC Champion LSU (No. 23) all are ranked.
Florida's non-conference opponents ranked in the 2009 AVCA preseason poll are No. 1 Penn State, No. 2 Nebraska, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Stanford, No. 9 Iowa State, No. 15 Florida State and No. 17 Colorado State.
The Gators will face at least 10 teams this season ranked in the AVCA preseason top-25 and have at least 13 matches on the schedule against nationally ranked foes. Florida will square off with three of the top four teams in the AVCA preseason poll this season.
Florida's ranking marks the 19th consecutive year that Mary Wise's squad has been regarded as one of the nation's top-15 teams headed into the season.
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2010 AVCA PRESEASON TOP-25
1. Penn State (40) *
2. Nebraska (16) *
3. Texas (4) *
4. Stanford *
5. Hawaii
T6. Illinois
T6. Minnesota
8. Washington
9. Iowa State *
10. Southern Cal
11. California
12. Michigan
13. Florida
14. Kentucky *
15. Florida State *
16. UCLA
17. Colorado State *
18. Arizona
19. Tennessee *
20. Oregon
21. Dayton
22. San Diego
23. LSU *
24. Northern Iowa
25. St. Mary's (Calif.)
* Denotes Florida opponent in 2010
Others receiving votes and appearing on two or more ballots: Long Beach State, Baylor, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Duke, Cincinnati, UC Santa Barbara, Utah, Pepperdine, UC Irvine, Notre Dame, Ohio, Saint Louis, New Mexico, New Mexico State, San Diego State, Georgia Tech, Rice, Michigan State, Santa Clara, Wisconsin, Wichita State, FIU, Missouri State.
END OF REPORT
