2017 Week 1: AVCA Poll Notes and Preview
Aug 24, 2017 23:07:17 GMT -5
bob2061 and toomuchvb like this
Post by lionsfan on Aug 24, 2017 23:07:17 GMT -5
It's that time of year again! As we get ready for the season and excitement to start, I thought I'd give some poll notes and a weekly preview:
Preseason Poll: A History Lesson*
*(Note: Lionsfan is not sure all of the “first” AVCA polls were Preseason polls, but that’s what he’s going with for now…some of the “first” polls in the AVCA record aren’t labeled as Preseason)
Lucky Numbers
Teams winning the national championship were ranked in the preseason poll…
#1, 13 times
#2, 10 times
#3, 2 times
#4, 3 times
#5, 1 time
#6, 2 times
#7, 1 time
#10, 1 time
#11, 2 times
Can Kansas or Creighton be the first #8/9 team to win it all? Can Penn State join fellow volleyball royalty Nebraska (2000) and Stanford (2004) as the only #6 teams to take it all?
Top Teams
What teams have been Preseason #1? The list is small…only 8 have been there:
…that's two less than the 10 teams to ever win a national title. What two teams have won it all but never topped a preseason poll? Washington (won in 2005) and (surprisingly) three-time winner Long Beach State (1989, 1993, 1998).
Pollsters: Lazy or Not?
It’s a trend we have grown used to in the last 10 years. But how many times has a team won the national title and then NOT been ranked #1 to start the following preseason?
Penn State in the Preseason
This is the first time ever that the Nittany Lions have clocked in at #6 in the preseason poll. Since 1994, the year following Penn State’s first ever trip to the Final Four, the Nittany Lions have been ranked outside of the Top 10 in the preseason rankings just twice: 2002 (#16) and 2003 (#11). In the preseason rankings, Penn State has been…
#1: 1998, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015
#2: 1997, 2000, 2006, 2013
#3: 2001, 2007, 2012
#4: 1994
#5: 2005
#6: 2017
#7: 1995, 1996
#8: 2004
#9: 2016
#11: 1993, 2003
#13: 1990
#15: 1982, 1992
#16: 1991, 2002
#17: 1989
#19: 1987, 1988
NR: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986
Poll Notes
Texas on Top: The Longhorns are #1 for the 10th time ever in a poll (that seems low to Lionsfan), putting them into a tie for 10th place on the all-time list with Washington. Can Texas catch #9 Florida (13 times #1) and #8 Pacific (18 times #1)? Stay tuned…
From the Longhorns SID, "Texas has now appeared in the top 4 of the preseason poll for 12 straight seasons, dating back to 2006. It marks the second time in that span that the Longhorns have occupied the top spot (2013). UT has held a top 5 ranking for 61 of the last 65 weeks, has appeared in the top 10 of the AVCA poll for 163 of the last 166 weeks, and has not left the top-25 for 172-straight weeks, dating back to 2004."
A Shocking Omission: For the first time ever since the poll began in 1982, Southern Cal is not ranked in the preseason; the Trojans are the first team out in the Receiving Votes category. Previously, USC’s lowest preseason ranking was #21 in 1999.
Cardinal Streak: Defending and seven-time champ Stanford has been ranked in every AVCA preseason poll since its inception in 1982.
Top Dawgs: The No. 3 ranking is the highest preseason ranking for Washington since 2006. The Huskies were preseason No. 4 in 2014 and 2009, and No. 5 in 2013.
Second-Best Ever: Minnesota's #4 preseason ranking is its second highest ever; the Gophers were #3 in the preseason last year. Meanwhile, Kansas can claim the same, as its #8 ranking is second only to last year’s #5. From the Jayhawks SID: “KU has now been ranked in the top 10 for 26 of the last 27 AVCA polls. Last season, KU maintained a top 10 national ranking throughout the regular season.”
Feeling Blue(jays): Creighton’s #9 preseason ranking marks the fourth time in five seasons that the Bluejays have earned a spot in the preseason poll, and ties the program's best mark for any week in history. From the Bluejay SID: “Creighton has spent 20 previous weeks in the top 25 of the rankings during the course of the past five seasons, with four such weeks in 2012, six weeks as a ranked squad in 2013 and one week each in both 2014 and 2015. Last year's team was ranked eight different weeks. Before today, the previous best preseason ranking for the Bluejays had been No. 18, done last year. Creighton’s best ranking in history was the No. 9 mark in the 2016 year-end poll, which was matched today.”
Keeping Opponents on their (Tar) Heels: Since upsetting Penn State in Rec Hall early last season, North Carolina has been in the Top 12 ever since. UNC has been ranked in the Top 25 every week since Nov. 9, 2015, including 11 weeks in the top 10. A regional final appearance gave UNC its highest preseason ranking ever at No. 7 in 2015 (so, like Minnesota and Kansas, their #11 this year is its second-best ever).
Conference Roll Call: The Big Ten leads all conferences with 8 teams in the Top 25 (#4 Minnesota, #5 Nebraska, #6 Penn State, #7 Wisconsin, #16 Michigan, #17 Michigan State, #21 Ohio State, #25 Purdue), followed by the Pac 12 with 6 (#2 Stanford, #3 Washington, #13 UCLA, #18 Oregon, #23 Utah, #24 Arizona).
The Big Matches: Week 1
Lots of big matchups this week, with tournaments at Florida, Wisconsin and Hawaii providing the marquee matchups…and an intriguing showdown in Seattle:
#1 Texas @ #12 Florida
#1 Texas vs. #18 Oregon (N)
#9 Creighton @ #3 Washington
#4 Minnesota vs. #11 North Carolina (N)
#5 Nebraska vs. #18 Oregon (N)
#5 Nebraska @ #12 Florida
#11 North Carolina @ #7 Wisconsin
#21 Ohio State @ #10 BYU
#13 UCLA vs. #22 San Diego (N)
#23 Utah @ #14 Kentucky
#22 San Diego @ #20 Hawaii
#13 UCLA @ #20 Hawaii
Upset watch:
Pittsburgh vs. #9 Creighton (N)
Pittsburgh @ #3 Washington
Louisville @ #7 Wisconsin
St. Louis vs. #21 Ohio State (N)
Marquette vs. #13 UCLA (N), vs. #22 San Diego (N), @ #20 Hawaii
#23 Utah @ #14 Kentucky
Baylor vs. #15 Florida State
UCSB vs. #15 Florida State
Southern Cal vs. #16 Michigan
LMU vs. #16 Michigan (N)
Georgia Tech vs. #17 Michigan State
Northern Iowa vs. #18 Missouri (N)
Lipscomb vs. #24 Arizona (N)
Lionsfan's Top 25
1. Texas
2. Stanford
3. Washington
4. Penn State
5. Minnesota
6. Nebraska
7. Wisconsin
8. Florida
9. Kansas
10. North Carolina
11. UCLA
12. Michigan State
13. Oregon
14. Creighton
15. BYU
16. Michigan
17. Hawaii
18. Southern Cal
19. Kentucky
20. Missouri
21. Utah
22. Purdue
23. Pittsburgh
24. Baylor
25. Colorado State
Preseason Poll: A History Lesson*
*(Note: Lionsfan is not sure all of the “first” AVCA polls were Preseason polls, but that’s what he’s going with for now…some of the “first” polls in the AVCA record aren’t labeled as Preseason)
Lucky Numbers
Teams winning the national championship were ranked in the preseason poll…
#1, 13 times
#2, 10 times
#3, 2 times
#4, 3 times
#5, 1 time
#6, 2 times
#7, 1 time
#10, 1 time
#11, 2 times
Can Kansas or Creighton be the first #8/9 team to win it all? Can Penn State join fellow volleyball royalty Nebraska (2000) and Stanford (2004) as the only #6 teams to take it all?
Top Teams
What teams have been Preseason #1? The list is small…only 8 have been there:
- 8 times: Penn State (1998, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015)
- 6 times: UCLA (1985, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2012)
- 5 times: Stanford (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2002) and Nebraska (2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2016)
- 4 times: Hawaii (1983, 1988, 1989, 1996)
- 3 times: Southern Cal (1982, 2003, 2004) and Pacific (1984, 1986, 1987)
- 2 times: Texas (2013, 2017)
…that's two less than the 10 teams to ever win a national title. What two teams have won it all but never topped a preseason poll? Washington (won in 2005) and (surprisingly) three-time winner Long Beach State (1989, 1993, 1998).
Pollsters: Lazy or Not?
It’s a trend we have grown used to in the last 10 years. But how many times has a team won the national title and then NOT been ranked #1 to start the following preseason?
- Hawaii won in 1983 and was then #5
- Texas won in 1988 and was then #8
- Long Beach won in 1989 and was then #8
- Long Beach won in 1993 and was then #8
- Nebraska won in 1995 and was then #5
- Stanford won in 1997 and was then #4
- Long Beach won in 1998 and was then #5
- Penn State won in 1999 and was then #2
- Stanford won in 2004 and was then #3
- Washington won in 2005 and was then #3
- Stanford won in 2016 and was then #2
Penn State in the Preseason
This is the first time ever that the Nittany Lions have clocked in at #6 in the preseason poll. Since 1994, the year following Penn State’s first ever trip to the Final Four, the Nittany Lions have been ranked outside of the Top 10 in the preseason rankings just twice: 2002 (#16) and 2003 (#11). In the preseason rankings, Penn State has been…
#1: 1998, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015
#2: 1997, 2000, 2006, 2013
#3: 2001, 2007, 2012
#4: 1994
#5: 2005
#6: 2017
#7: 1995, 1996
#8: 2004
#9: 2016
#11: 1993, 2003
#13: 1990
#15: 1982, 1992
#16: 1991, 2002
#17: 1989
#19: 1987, 1988
NR: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986
Poll Notes
Texas on Top: The Longhorns are #1 for the 10th time ever in a poll (that seems low to Lionsfan), putting them into a tie for 10th place on the all-time list with Washington. Can Texas catch #9 Florida (13 times #1) and #8 Pacific (18 times #1)? Stay tuned…
From the Longhorns SID, "Texas has now appeared in the top 4 of the preseason poll for 12 straight seasons, dating back to 2006. It marks the second time in that span that the Longhorns have occupied the top spot (2013). UT has held a top 5 ranking for 61 of the last 65 weeks, has appeared in the top 10 of the AVCA poll for 163 of the last 166 weeks, and has not left the top-25 for 172-straight weeks, dating back to 2004."
A Shocking Omission: For the first time ever since the poll began in 1982, Southern Cal is not ranked in the preseason; the Trojans are the first team out in the Receiving Votes category. Previously, USC’s lowest preseason ranking was #21 in 1999.
Cardinal Streak: Defending and seven-time champ Stanford has been ranked in every AVCA preseason poll since its inception in 1982.
Top Dawgs: The No. 3 ranking is the highest preseason ranking for Washington since 2006. The Huskies were preseason No. 4 in 2014 and 2009, and No. 5 in 2013.
Second-Best Ever: Minnesota's #4 preseason ranking is its second highest ever; the Gophers were #3 in the preseason last year. Meanwhile, Kansas can claim the same, as its #8 ranking is second only to last year’s #5. From the Jayhawks SID: “KU has now been ranked in the top 10 for 26 of the last 27 AVCA polls. Last season, KU maintained a top 10 national ranking throughout the regular season.”
Feeling Blue(jays): Creighton’s #9 preseason ranking marks the fourth time in five seasons that the Bluejays have earned a spot in the preseason poll, and ties the program's best mark for any week in history. From the Bluejay SID: “Creighton has spent 20 previous weeks in the top 25 of the rankings during the course of the past five seasons, with four such weeks in 2012, six weeks as a ranked squad in 2013 and one week each in both 2014 and 2015. Last year's team was ranked eight different weeks. Before today, the previous best preseason ranking for the Bluejays had been No. 18, done last year. Creighton’s best ranking in history was the No. 9 mark in the 2016 year-end poll, which was matched today.”
Keeping Opponents on their (Tar) Heels: Since upsetting Penn State in Rec Hall early last season, North Carolina has been in the Top 12 ever since. UNC has been ranked in the Top 25 every week since Nov. 9, 2015, including 11 weeks in the top 10. A regional final appearance gave UNC its highest preseason ranking ever at No. 7 in 2015 (so, like Minnesota and Kansas, their #11 this year is its second-best ever).
Conference Roll Call: The Big Ten leads all conferences with 8 teams in the Top 25 (#4 Minnesota, #5 Nebraska, #6 Penn State, #7 Wisconsin, #16 Michigan, #17 Michigan State, #21 Ohio State, #25 Purdue), followed by the Pac 12 with 6 (#2 Stanford, #3 Washington, #13 UCLA, #18 Oregon, #23 Utah, #24 Arizona).
The Big Matches: Week 1
Lots of big matchups this week, with tournaments at Florida, Wisconsin and Hawaii providing the marquee matchups…and an intriguing showdown in Seattle:
#1 Texas @ #12 Florida
#1 Texas vs. #18 Oregon (N)
#9 Creighton @ #3 Washington
#4 Minnesota vs. #11 North Carolina (N)
#5 Nebraska vs. #18 Oregon (N)
#5 Nebraska @ #12 Florida
#11 North Carolina @ #7 Wisconsin
#21 Ohio State @ #10 BYU
#13 UCLA vs. #22 San Diego (N)
#23 Utah @ #14 Kentucky
#22 San Diego @ #20 Hawaii
#13 UCLA @ #20 Hawaii
Upset watch:
Pittsburgh vs. #9 Creighton (N)
Pittsburgh @ #3 Washington
Louisville @ #7 Wisconsin
St. Louis vs. #21 Ohio State (N)
Marquette vs. #13 UCLA (N), vs. #22 San Diego (N), @ #20 Hawaii
#23 Utah @ #14 Kentucky
Baylor vs. #15 Florida State
UCSB vs. #15 Florida State
Southern Cal vs. #16 Michigan
LMU vs. #16 Michigan (N)
Georgia Tech vs. #17 Michigan State
Northern Iowa vs. #18 Missouri (N)
Lipscomb vs. #24 Arizona (N)
Lionsfan's Top 25
1. Texas
2. Stanford
3. Washington
4. Penn State
5. Minnesota
6. Nebraska
7. Wisconsin
8. Florida
9. Kansas
10. North Carolina
11. UCLA
12. Michigan State
13. Oregon
14. Creighton
15. BYU
16. Michigan
17. Hawaii
18. Southern Cal
19. Kentucky
20. Missouri
21. Utah
22. Purdue
23. Pittsburgh
24. Baylor
25. Colorado State
