Photo by: Greg Anderson
Volleyball ranked seventh in preseason coaches poll
August 09, 2017 | Volleyball
Badgers rank in top 10 for fourth straight season
MADISON, Wis. – For the fourth straight year, the Wisconsin volleyball team opens the season among the top-10 teams in the nation. The Badgers are ranked No. 7 in the 2017 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top-25 preseason poll, released Wednesday.
It is the ninth time in program history that UW is ranked in the top-10 and the fourth straight year under head coach Kelly Sheffield. Wisconsin was ranked fourth in 2016, tied for fifth in 2015, and sixth in 2014.
Texas (27-5 in 2016) leads the poll with reigning NCAA champion Stanford (27-7) coming in second. Washington (29-5), Minnesota (29-5) and Nebraska (31-3) round out the top five, respectively.
The Big Ten Conference dominates the poll with four teams in the top 10 and eight teams in the top 25. Penn State (24-10) ranks sixth with the Badgers (28-5) seventh. Michigan (24-11) and Michigan State (25-9) are 16th and 17th, respectively. Ohio State (22-13) comes in at No. 21 while Purdue (19-14) rounds out the poll at No. 25.
In addition to its Big Ten opponents in 2017, Wisconsin will also play No. 11 North Carolina (29-4) in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Kansas State (21-10), which receives votes, at the K-State Invitational, and Texas A&M (21-9), which also receives votes, at the HotelRED Invitational.
The Badgers began practice on Tuesday and will host a Cardinal vs. White scrimmage on Aug. 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the UW Field House. Admission is free. The season kicks off on Aug. 25-26 when Wisconsin hosts the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
2017 AVCA Preseason Top-25 Coaches Poll
Others receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots: Southern California 105; Western Kentucky 98; Dayton 71; Washington State 67; Iowa State 62; Colorado State 55; Pittsburgh 49; Baylor 37; Kansas State 36; Boise State 21; Wichita State 7; Texas A&M 6; SMU 2
It is the ninth time in program history that UW is ranked in the top-10 and the fourth straight year under head coach Kelly Sheffield. Wisconsin was ranked fourth in 2016, tied for fifth in 2015, and sixth in 2014.
Texas (27-5 in 2016) leads the poll with reigning NCAA champion Stanford (27-7) coming in second. Washington (29-5), Minnesota (29-5) and Nebraska (31-3) round out the top five, respectively.
The Big Ten Conference dominates the poll with four teams in the top 10 and eight teams in the top 25. Penn State (24-10) ranks sixth with the Badgers (28-5) seventh. Michigan (24-11) and Michigan State (25-9) are 16th and 17th, respectively. Ohio State (22-13) comes in at No. 21 while Purdue (19-14) rounds out the poll at No. 25.
In addition to its Big Ten opponents in 2017, Wisconsin will also play No. 11 North Carolina (29-4) in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Kansas State (21-10), which receives votes, at the K-State Invitational, and Texas A&M (21-9), which also receives votes, at the HotelRED Invitational.
The Badgers began practice on Tuesday and will host a Cardinal vs. White scrimmage on Aug. 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the UW Field House. Admission is free. The season kicks off on Aug. 25-26 when Wisconsin hosts the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
2017 AVCA Preseason Top-25 Coaches Poll
| Rk. | Team | Pts. | 2016 Record |
2016 Final |
| 1 | Texas (25) | 1547 | 27-5 | 2 |
| 2 | Stanford (35) | 1533 | 27-7 | 1 |
| 3 | Washington (2) | 1370 | 29-5 | 7 |
| 4 | Minnesota (2) | 1349 | 29-5 | 3 |
| 5 | Nebraska | 1313 | 31-3 | 4 |
| 6 | Penn State | 1249 | 24-10 | 10 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 1145 | 28-5 | 5 |
| 8 | Kansas | 1085 | 27-3 | 12 |
| 9 | Creighton | 1007 | 29-7 | 9 |
| 10 | BYU | 975 | 29-4 | 8 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 939 | 29-4 | 11 |
| 12 | Florida | 925 | 27-4 | 15 |
| 13 | UCLA | 866 | 27-7 | 6 |
| 14 | Kentucky | 654 | 23-8 | 23 |
| 15 | Florida State | 641 | 26-6 | 13 |
| 16 | Michigan | 615 | 24-11 | 14 |
| 17 | Michigan State | 523 | 25-9 | 19 |
| 18 | Oregon | 498 | 21-10 | 21 |
| 19 | Missouri | 424 | 27-6 | 16 |
| 20 | Hawai'i | 343 | 23-6 | 17 |
| 21 | Ohio State | 332 | 22-13 | 18 |
| 22 | San Diego | 287 | 24-6 | 22 |
| 23 | Utah | 203 | 20-12 | 25 |
| 24 | Arizona | 174 | 20-15 | 20 |
| 25 | Purdue | 147 | 19-14 | RV |
Others receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots: Southern California 105; Western Kentucky 98; Dayton 71; Washington State 67; Iowa State 62; Colorado State 55; Pittsburgh 49; Baylor 37; Kansas State 36; Boise State 21; Wichita State 7; Texas A&M 6; SMU 2
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