NCAA | Washington Volleyball ranked 13th in first media poll

Volleyball Magazine ranks Washington #13; six Huskies' opponents among top 18

UW middle blocker Kelcey Dunaway
-Volleyblog Seattle photo
by Leslie Hamann

In the first media poll of the 2012 season, Washington is ranked the 13^th best team in the nation. The weekly poll is conducted by the Volleyball Magazine.

Practices for all NCAA Division 1 teams began two weeks ago; the first matches won’t be played until this Friday.

Six traditional powers dominate the top of the poll, including three Pac-12 schools, among them defending national champion UCLA (#1), Stanford (3) and USC (6). Texas is ranked 2nd, Penn State 3rd and Nebraska 4th.

Hawai’i—moving this season to the Big West Conference—is ranked 7^th. Purdue—whom Washington plays in Baton Rouge on August 31—is eighth. 2011 NCAA runner-up Illinois is ranked 9^th; Iowa State is 10^th.

Volleyblog Seattle is one of ten national voters in the weekly Volleyball Magazine poll.


VOLLEYBALL MAGAZINE POLL: WEEK 1 (PRESEASON)

VBM Rank	School (First-Place Votes)	Total Points	2011 Record	2011 Final VBM Poll	AVCA Coaches’ Poll
1	UCLA (8)	190	30-6	1	1
2	Texas	187	25-5	4	2
3	Stanford (1)	171	22-8	15	6
4	Penn State (1)	170	25-8	9	3
5	Nebraska	166	25-5	12	4
6	Southern California	146	29-5	3	5
7	Hawai'i	131	31-2	5	8
8	Purdue	130	29-5	11	9
9	Illinois	126	30-5	2	7
10	Iowa State	111	25-6	8	10
11	Pepperdine	91	25-7	7	11
12	Kentucky	75	28-6	13	13
13	Washington	70	24-8	17	14
14	Florida State	64	28-7	6	12
15	Minnesota	59	20-12	14	16
16	Tennessee	58	28-4	--	15
17	California	55	26-7	19	17
18	Oregon	33	21-10	--	20
19	San Diego	28	28-5	--	19
20	Florida	20	27-6	10	18

Others receiving votes: Ohio State, Louisville, Kansas State, Northern Iowa, Colorado State, Michigan