AVCA Week 3 (2016): Let's All Take a Deep Breath...
Sept 12, 2016 21:49:16 GMT -5
nyline, treblejig, and 1 more like this
Post by lionsfan on Sept 12, 2016 21:49:16 GMT -5
Hi all! Just wanted to share some Poll stuff, look back at the young season so far and look ahead to next week…feel free to share your musings and your own rankings!
You can see the Week 3 AVCA Poll here: www.avca.org/polls/di-women/9-12-2016.html
Feeling Blue: It’s been a rough year so far for the Lions, and despite three wins, they dropped three spots to #20—perhaps the result of dropping a set to Hofstra. When the Lions landed at #13 two weeks ago, it marked only the second time in almost 13 years. Since the pre-season poll of 2004, Penn State had only been outside the Top 10 for one (1) week: Week 12 of 2011, when they were #12. The #13 mark was the program’s lowest since Nov. 17, 2003, when they were #15. (Penn State spent 14 of the 16 regular season weeks in 2003 outside of the Top 10, and finished the season at #7 after upsetting higher-ranked Kansas State in the regional semis that year.)
The drop to #20 breaks an even longer streak. The Lions haven’t found themselves at #20 or lower since the final poll of 1988 (!). That season, the Lions were unranked for six of the 12 polls, clocking at #19 or #20 for the other half (back then, there was only a Top 20).
The drop to #17 last week came after the Lions third straight loss—the first time since 2002 that Penn State dropped three in a row: all 3-2 losses to Wisconsin (at Rec Hall), Michigan State and Michigan (both on the road).
Back on Top: With three sweeps, Nebraska stayed in the top spot for the fourth straight week—and extended its recent breaking of a Penn State record. Entering the 2016 season, Penn State led all schools with 88 total weeks being ranked #1—just two spots ahead of the Huskers, who now lead with 90 weeks.
Jeopardy! The Lions are also likely to be passed by Texas for fifth-place on the list of all-time Top 10 rankings. Entering 2016, UCLA was fourth with 330 times (and gained two so far this season), Penn State was fifth with 328 times (and gained one this season) and Texas in sixth with 323 times (and gained four this season, making in almost a certainty that they will pass both the Lions and Bruins in a matter of weeks).
Boiler Up! For the first time ever, Purdue topped Stanford in a short series (it was just the fourth time they met, and first time since 1984). The Boilermakers came back from two sets down to stun Stanford in Palo Alto 31-33, 12-25, 25-23, 28-26, 15-11. That lifted them six spots to #14.
Unfamiliar Tree-itory: Penn State has some company this year in the blues department. Stanford’s loss dropped them three spots to #12—a spot the program isn’t very familiar with, and only the second time this season it has happened (following its #11 preseason ranking). In the last 11 years, the Card has only been outside the Top 10 a total of nine (89) single times: two weeks in 2015 (including the final poll), one week in 2011 (the final poll), five weeks in 2009 and one week in 2005 (the final poll). Prior to that, Stanford spent 10 weeks outside the Top 10 in 2004, and most of the 2000 season outside of it.
Carolina Climbing: Coming off its recent 3-2 win at Rec Hall, the Tar Heels took on two more Big Ten powers over the weekend—topping Wisconsin 3-2 (marking the first time in UNC history that it beat two Top 10 teams in the same season, the eighth all time and the fourth since 2014) and falling to Minnesota 3-1. Those efforts had them climbing three spots to #8, the 11th time that the Tar Heels have been in the Top 10 (and fourth straight season with at least one week in the Top 10).
Olé! If San Diego had any doubters after its opening week 3-2 win at Stanford, it has officially silenced its critics with two more wins over ranked opponents: a sweep over Colorado and a 3-1 win over previously unbeaten UCLA—which also marked the Toreros first ever win against the Bruins (in nine contests). The wins moved them up five spots to #10—the third time in program history that USD has been in the Top 10 (reaching as high as #2 in 2013, when it spent two weeks in the Top 10).
Those Other Broncos: With three wins, Santa Clara moved up two spots to #17, its highest national ranking in nearly a decade (having reached #15 on Oct. 16, 2006). One week after making the Top 25 for the first time in two years, the Broncos are 9-0—the best start in program history.
Red Schedules: Two schools with two of the toughest pre-conference schedules are about to take it up another notch. Wisconsin has wins over Hawaii, Arizona, San Diego and newly ranked Kansas State, its only loss the five-setter at Carolina; meanwhile, Texas A&M also swept Arizona but got swept by Minnesota, also dropping five-set heartbreakers to Ohio State and Florida State. The two teams meet Friday in College Station. If that weren’t challenging enough, both schools also play at Texas this week (the Aggie son Wednesday, the Badgers on Sunday).
Sunshine Battle: Aren’t you just loving these annual ranked match-ups between Florida and Florida State?! The next installment in this great rivalry takes place Wednesday in Tallahassee. The #7 Gators are 30-5 over the #13 Seminoles under Mary Wise, but Florida State has won three of the last five.
Big Ten, Big Presence: After getting swept at Oregon, 4-4 Illinois dropped out of the poll, but 8-1 Michigan State hopped in at #22, giving the Big Ten a record eight teams in the Top 25 (#1 Nebraska, #3 Minnesota, #6 Wisconsin, #14 Purdue, #19 Ohio State, #20 Penn State, #22 Michigan State, #23 Michigan).
Other Big Upcoming Matches: Kansas at Purdue (Friday 9/16), Colorado State at Colorado (Saturday)
Lionsfan’s Top 25
1. Nebraska (duh!)
2. Minnesota (4 wins over Top 16 teams)
3. Wisconsin (4 strong wins…I promise I’m not just being a Big Ten homer…)
4. San Diego (3-2 against Top 18 teams)
5. Florida (played Nebraska tougher than Texas)
6. Texas
7. North Carolina (Wisconsin win solidifies strength)
8. Kansas (softer schedule so far)
9. UCLA (beat a Nikki Taylor-included Hawaii easier than Washington did)
10. Washington
11. Stanford (lost to Purdue, but tougher overall schedule)
12. Purdue
13. BYU (undefeated, best win over Ohio State)
14. Florida State (five-set win over A&M)
15. Texas A&M
16. Hawaii (played Washington tough)
17. Santa Clara
18. Ohio State (that Missouri State loss hurts, but split five-setters with BYU and Texas A&M)
19. Colorado (they lost to PSU…but not the one you’d expect)
20. Penn State (no impressive wins; showed competitiveness with good teams)
21. Michigan (won at Kansas State; lost at Pitt)
22. Kansas State (win at Taylor-less Hawaii)
23. Oregon
24. Missouri State
25. Illinois (three of four losses were five setters to teams I have ranked ahead, so they edge out Southern Cal)
You can see the Week 3 AVCA Poll here: www.avca.org/polls/di-women/9-12-2016.html
Feeling Blue: It’s been a rough year so far for the Lions, and despite three wins, they dropped three spots to #20—perhaps the result of dropping a set to Hofstra. When the Lions landed at #13 two weeks ago, it marked only the second time in almost 13 years. Since the pre-season poll of 2004, Penn State had only been outside the Top 10 for one (1) week: Week 12 of 2011, when they were #12. The #13 mark was the program’s lowest since Nov. 17, 2003, when they were #15. (Penn State spent 14 of the 16 regular season weeks in 2003 outside of the Top 10, and finished the season at #7 after upsetting higher-ranked Kansas State in the regional semis that year.)
The drop to #20 breaks an even longer streak. The Lions haven’t found themselves at #20 or lower since the final poll of 1988 (!). That season, the Lions were unranked for six of the 12 polls, clocking at #19 or #20 for the other half (back then, there was only a Top 20).
The drop to #17 last week came after the Lions third straight loss—the first time since 2002 that Penn State dropped three in a row: all 3-2 losses to Wisconsin (at Rec Hall), Michigan State and Michigan (both on the road).
Back on Top: With three sweeps, Nebraska stayed in the top spot for the fourth straight week—and extended its recent breaking of a Penn State record. Entering the 2016 season, Penn State led all schools with 88 total weeks being ranked #1—just two spots ahead of the Huskers, who now lead with 90 weeks.
Jeopardy! The Lions are also likely to be passed by Texas for fifth-place on the list of all-time Top 10 rankings. Entering 2016, UCLA was fourth with 330 times (and gained two so far this season), Penn State was fifth with 328 times (and gained one this season) and Texas in sixth with 323 times (and gained four this season, making in almost a certainty that they will pass both the Lions and Bruins in a matter of weeks).
Boiler Up! For the first time ever, Purdue topped Stanford in a short series (it was just the fourth time they met, and first time since 1984). The Boilermakers came back from two sets down to stun Stanford in Palo Alto 31-33, 12-25, 25-23, 28-26, 15-11. That lifted them six spots to #14.
Unfamiliar Tree-itory: Penn State has some company this year in the blues department. Stanford’s loss dropped them three spots to #12—a spot the program isn’t very familiar with, and only the second time this season it has happened (following its #11 preseason ranking). In the last 11 years, the Card has only been outside the Top 10 a total of nine (89) single times: two weeks in 2015 (including the final poll), one week in 2011 (the final poll), five weeks in 2009 and one week in 2005 (the final poll). Prior to that, Stanford spent 10 weeks outside the Top 10 in 2004, and most of the 2000 season outside of it.
Carolina Climbing: Coming off its recent 3-2 win at Rec Hall, the Tar Heels took on two more Big Ten powers over the weekend—topping Wisconsin 3-2 (marking the first time in UNC history that it beat two Top 10 teams in the same season, the eighth all time and the fourth since 2014) and falling to Minnesota 3-1. Those efforts had them climbing three spots to #8, the 11th time that the Tar Heels have been in the Top 10 (and fourth straight season with at least one week in the Top 10).
Olé! If San Diego had any doubters after its opening week 3-2 win at Stanford, it has officially silenced its critics with two more wins over ranked opponents: a sweep over Colorado and a 3-1 win over previously unbeaten UCLA—which also marked the Toreros first ever win against the Bruins (in nine contests). The wins moved them up five spots to #10—the third time in program history that USD has been in the Top 10 (reaching as high as #2 in 2013, when it spent two weeks in the Top 10).
Those Other Broncos: With three wins, Santa Clara moved up two spots to #17, its highest national ranking in nearly a decade (having reached #15 on Oct. 16, 2006). One week after making the Top 25 for the first time in two years, the Broncos are 9-0—the best start in program history.
Red Schedules: Two schools with two of the toughest pre-conference schedules are about to take it up another notch. Wisconsin has wins over Hawaii, Arizona, San Diego and newly ranked Kansas State, its only loss the five-setter at Carolina; meanwhile, Texas A&M also swept Arizona but got swept by Minnesota, also dropping five-set heartbreakers to Ohio State and Florida State. The two teams meet Friday in College Station. If that weren’t challenging enough, both schools also play at Texas this week (the Aggie son Wednesday, the Badgers on Sunday).
Sunshine Battle: Aren’t you just loving these annual ranked match-ups between Florida and Florida State?! The next installment in this great rivalry takes place Wednesday in Tallahassee. The #7 Gators are 30-5 over the #13 Seminoles under Mary Wise, but Florida State has won three of the last five.
Big Ten, Big Presence: After getting swept at Oregon, 4-4 Illinois dropped out of the poll, but 8-1 Michigan State hopped in at #22, giving the Big Ten a record eight teams in the Top 25 (#1 Nebraska, #3 Minnesota, #6 Wisconsin, #14 Purdue, #19 Ohio State, #20 Penn State, #22 Michigan State, #23 Michigan).
Other Big Upcoming Matches: Kansas at Purdue (Friday 9/16), Colorado State at Colorado (Saturday)
Lionsfan’s Top 25
1. Nebraska (duh!)
2. Minnesota (4 wins over Top 16 teams)
3. Wisconsin (4 strong wins…I promise I’m not just being a Big Ten homer…)
4. San Diego (3-2 against Top 18 teams)
5. Florida (played Nebraska tougher than Texas)
6. Texas
7. North Carolina (Wisconsin win solidifies strength)
8. Kansas (softer schedule so far)
9. UCLA (beat a Nikki Taylor-included Hawaii easier than Washington did)
10. Washington
11. Stanford (lost to Purdue, but tougher overall schedule)
12. Purdue
13. BYU (undefeated, best win over Ohio State)
14. Florida State (five-set win over A&M)
15. Texas A&M
16. Hawaii (played Washington tough)
17. Santa Clara
18. Ohio State (that Missouri State loss hurts, but split five-setters with BYU and Texas A&M)
19. Colorado (they lost to PSU…but not the one you’d expect)
20. Penn State (no impressive wins; showed competitiveness with good teams)
21. Michigan (won at Kansas State; lost at Pitt)
22. Kansas State (win at Taylor-less Hawaii)
23. Oregon
24. Missouri State
25. Illinois (three of four losses were five setters to teams I have ranked ahead, so they edge out Southern Cal)
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