K-State Volleyball No. 22 in Preseason Poll
Aug 18, 2009 | Volleyball
MANHATTAN, Kan. - The American Volleyball Coaches Association announced its Coaches Preseason Top 25 Poll on Tuesday and the Kansas State Wildcats found themselves at No. 22. K-State finished the 2008 season with a 24-8 record and No. 20 in the nation after its 12th NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Big 12 Conference was again strongly represented with a total of four teams in the Top 25. Texas leads the way at No. 2 and received six of the 60 first-place votes. Nebraska followed right behind the Longhorns at No. 3 in the poll. Iowa State came in at No. 13 coming off a run to the NCAA Regional Finals last season.
K-State rounds out the Big 12 teams in the poll, but Texas A&M, Baylor and Oklahoma all are listed among teams receiving votes. A&M is the third leading vote getter in the poll.
Back-to-back champion Penn State sits atop the poll with 52 first place votes representing the Big Ten Conference. The Big Ten has five teams in the Top 25, while the Pac10 Conference claims spots to lead the conferences.
Four of K-State's nonconference opponents are also among the nation's top teams. Minnesota is just outside the Top 10 coming in at No. 11 after a 27-7 record last season, and Michigan ranks No. 16. The Wildcats will open their season against the pair of Big Ten schools at the Runza/AVCA Showcase in Omaha, Neb., August 28-29.
Two of the Wildcats' ranked opponents will play in Manhattan to take on K-State in Ahearn Field House for the Varney's Kansas State Invitational. No. 19 Purdue comes to Manhattan after K-State played in the Boilermakers' home tournament a year ago, and No. 21 Kentucky will tangle with K-State for the first time in each program's history. One nonconference opponent, Cal Poly, is receiving votes in the poll.
Tickets in K-State's allotment to the AVCA Showcase are still available. To purchase tickets to the Runza/AVCA Showcase please contact the K-State Ticket Office at 1-800-221-CATS. Season tickets are also on sale for all the exciting action set to take place in Ahearn Field House this year. Details on new reserved seating options for season ticket holders will be announced Wednesday.
AVCA Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll
Rank School (First-Place Votes) Total Points 2008 Record 2008 Final Rank
1 Penn State (52) 1487 38-0 1
2 Texas (6) 1405 29-4 4
3 Nebraska 1345 31-1 3
4 Washington (2) 1330 27-5 5
5 Stanford 1283 31-4 2
6 California 1215 26-7 6
7 Hawai'i 1036 31-4 7
8 Florida 1020 27-4 10
9 UCLA 961 22-11 8
10 Illinois 919 26-8 11
11 Minnesota 904 27-7 14
12 Southern California 852 17-12 13
13 Iowa State 786 22-13 12
14 Oregon 727 25-9 9
15 San Diego 554 23-5 19
16 Michigan 530 26-9 17
17 Utah 505 26-6 17
18 Wichita State 402 30-2 18
19 Purdue 386 26-9 15
20 Saint Louis 354 29-5 21
21 Kentucky 288 26-6 22
22 Kansas State 213 24-8 20
23 Long Beach State 190 26-6 23
24 Colorado State 170 23-7 24
25 Santa Clara 102 18-10 25
Oterhs Receiving Votes: Pepperdine 75, Duke 53, Texas A&M 45, Wisconsin 43, Western Michigan 37, New Mexico State 28, Wright State 24, St. Mary's (Calif.) 23, UC Irvine 22, Tulane 21, Ohio 20, LSU 19, Arizona 18, Cal Poly 18, Tennessee 16, Louisville 15, Michigan State 9, San Francisco 8, Baylor 5, Missouri State 5, Oklahoma 5, Middle Tennessee 4, Rice 3.
Six schools were listed on only one ballot for a total of 20 points.
K-State and opponents listed in bold
- k-statesports.com -
