Post by lionsfan on Aug 21, 2018 23:39:04 GMT -5
With the release of the August 8 Preseason AVCA Poll, it’s time to start our weekly look once again!
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)
#1: 13 times
#2: 10 times
#3: 2 times
#4: 3 times
#5: 2 times
#6: 2 times
#7: 1 time
#10: 1 time
#11: 2 times
• Penn State: 8 times (1998, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015)
• Stanford and UCLA: 6 times (Stanford: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2018; UCLA: 1985, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2012)
• Nebraska: 5 times (2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2016)
• Hawaii: 4 times (1983, 1988, 1989, 1996)
• Southern Cal and Pacific: 3 times (Southern Cal: 1982, 2003, 2004; Pacific: 1984, 1986, 1987)
• Texas: 2 times (2013, 2017)
Pollsters: Lazy or Not?
• 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
#1: 1998, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015
#2: 1997, 2000, 2006, 2013
#3: 2001, 2007, 2012
#4: 1994
#5: 2005
#6: 2017, 2018
#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
Peachy Pitt: Clocking in at #20, Pittsburgh received its first national ranking in 26 years (!). Notes the Pitt SID: “The last time Pitt was ranked was 26 years ago in 1992. The Panthers began that season at No. 25 after concluding 1991 as Big East Regular Season and Tournament Champions. 2018 marks just the fourth year in program history that the school has earned a spot in the AVCA Top 25 Poll, with the only other years ranging from 1990-92. The highest ranking the team received was in 1990, when the Panthers were tabbed 17th in the nation. Pitt finished 32-6 that season and was crowned Big East Champions.” Congrats to the Panthers!
Cardinal Fever: Stanford’s top ranking is the 70th No. 1 ranking all-time for the program. Notes the Card Athletic department: “Stanford has been ranked in every AVCA preseason poll since its inception in 1982, and is No. 1 to start the season for the first time since 2002.” Stanford pretty much has a top seed locked up already. Why? It plays 17 regular-season matches against top-25 teams (!).
On the Catwalk: Kentucky continues to make history, as noted by its SID: “For a program-record seventh-consecutive year the Kentucky volleyball team will begin the season ranked in the AVCA preseason top 25. With the ranking of No. 5, UK ties its highest mark in program history and its highest preseason ranking ever. UK has never appeared in the preseason top 10 before. Kentucky's spot at No. 5 marks the highest ever under head coach Craig Skinner. UK reached No. 6 in the country last season and finished the 2017 final poll at that mark. The Wildcats have now appeared in the top-25 preseason poll for the ninth time in 10 seasons.”
Gimmie a B! Gimmie a Y! Gimmie a U! The Cougars, ranked in the preseason each year since 2013, came in at #8—their best preseason ranking since 1999 (#7). From the Cougar SID: “BYU has been ranked in the preseason poll 29 times since 1982, including 14 appearances in the top 10.”
Says the Trojan SID: “USC appears in the AVCA poll for the 497th time, which ranks fifth all-time. Only Nebraska and Stanford (526 times each)—which have each appeared in every single poll—UCLA (505) and Hawai'i (500) have appeared in more polls than the Trojans. USC has appeared 314 times among the top 10 of the poll, which ranks eighth all-time. Only the aforementioned schools, Florida, Penn State, and Texas hold more top-10 rankings than the Trojans. USC is one of just 19 teams ever to hold the top ranking and has held the No. 1 spot in 47 polls, which ranks sixth all-time.”
Looking Buff: For the first time since 2015, Colorado is ranked in the preseason (#15). It is the highest preseason rating for the Buffs since 1998 (#12).
Poly Wanna Ranking? For the first time since 2008, #24 Cal Poly is ranked in the preseason. From the Mustangs’ SID: “The last time Cal Poly was ranked in the Preseason Top 25 was in 2008 when they began the season ranked tenth. After going 27-3 last year, the Mustangs ended the season ranked No. 22 in the final AVCA Top 25 Poll. At one point during the season they were ranked as high as No. 21.”
#7 Florida @ #2 Nebraska
#18 Oregon @ #2 Nebraska
#3 Texas vs. #18 Oregon
#3 Texas vs. #7 Florida
#5 Kentucky vs. #13 Creighton
#5 Kentucky @ #10 Southern Cal
#13 Creighton @ #10 Southern Cal
#12 Illinois @ #25 Colorado State
#14 San Diego @ #17 Washington (x2)
#24 Cal Poly @ #20 Pittsburgh
1. Stanford
2. Nebraska
3. BYU
4. Minnesota
5. Kentucky
6. Texas
7. Wisconsin
8. Florida
9. Southern Cal
10. Colorado
11. Illinois
12. Baylor
13. UCLA
14. Penn State
15. Oregon
16. Washington
17. Creighton
18. Cal Poly
19. San Diego
20. Pittsburgh
21. Colorado State
22. Iowa State
23. Northern Iowa
24. Western Kentucky
25. Wichita 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
With their win last year, Nebraska became just the second team with a preseason ranking of #5 to win it all. Teams winning the national championship were ranked in the preseason poll…
#2: 10 times
#3: 2 times
#4: 3 times
#5: 2 times
#6: 2 times
#7: 1 time
#10: 1 time
#11: 2 times
Can BYU or Wisconsin 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? There are only eight programs to accomplish that feat:
• Stanford and UCLA: 6 times (Stanford: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2018; UCLA: 1985, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2012)
• Nebraska: 5 times (2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2016)
• Hawaii: 4 times (1983, 1988, 1989, 1996)
• Southern Cal and Pacific: 3 times (Southern Cal: 1982, 2003, 2004; Pacific: 1984, 1986, 1987)
• Texas: 2 times (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).
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?
• 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
• Nebraska won in 2017 and then was #2
This is the second time ever—and second time in a row—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…
#2: 1997, 2000, 2006, 2013
#3: 2001, 2007, 2012
#4: 1994
#5: 2005
#6: 2017, 2018
#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
Jay Walkin’: For the fifth time in the last six seasons, Creighton is ranked in the preseason—and #13 is its second-best preseason ranking ever (after earning a #9 nod last year). The Bluejay SID offers this interesting tidbit: “Being ranked in the preseason poll is no guarantee of future success, however. In the previous 10 seasons, only 178-of-250 teams (71.2 percent) would be in both the preseason and postseason AVCA Top 25 polls. Since 2008, all but 25 teams (of 250) named in the preseason AVCA Top 25 poll would go on to reach the NCAA Tournament (90.0 percent).”
Back in Business: Last year, for the first time ever since the poll began in 1982, Southern Cal was not ranked in the preseason (prior to that, USC’s lowest preseason ranking was #21 in 1999, a rarity). The Trojans aren’t off anyone’s radar this year, ranked #10 to start the season.
Meanwhile, Across Town… Colorado State got the last spot at #25 a year after making its 23rd consecutive NCAA tournament. From the Rams’ SID: “This is the first time CSU has been ranked in the preseason since 2016 when they were ranked No. 25…The Rams have been ranked in the AVCA Preseason Poll 21 times since the poll started in 1982, including 15 of 22 under Head Coach Tom Hilbert and nine since 2008. The preseason ranking is the programs 300th time appearing the AVCA Poll. Only 11 teams, entering 2018 have been ranked more frequently.”
Da Bears! Baylor’s #16 preseason ranking is a program-best. Says the Bears’ SID: “Baylor earned a preseason ranking for only the second time in program history and first since its No. 21 ranking in 2000.”
Doggone It: Until 2003, Washington didn’t have much AVCA poll appearances. The Huskies started that year unranked, but quickly climbed in at #23 the next week, finishing the year at #8. But with their #17 ranking, the Huskies have their lowest preseason ranking since. In the last 14 years, Washington has entered the year: #2 (2005), #3 (2017, 2006), #4 (2014, 2009), #5 (2013), #7 (2016, 2011, 2004), #8 (2010, 2007), #9 (2008), #10 (2015) and #14 (2012).
Conference Rollcall: The Big Ten and Pac 12 co-lead all conferences with 7 teams each in the Top 25. For the B1G: #2 Nebraska, #4 Minnesota, #6 Penn State, #9 Wisconsin, #12 Illinois, #22 Michigan State, #23 Purdue; for the Pac: #1 Stanford, #10 Southern Cal, #11 UCLA, #15 Colorado, #17 Washington, #18 Oregon, #19 Utah.
The Big Matches: Week 1:
#18 Oregon @ #2 Nebraska
#3 Texas vs. #18 Oregon
#3 Texas vs. #7 Florida
#5 Kentucky vs. #13 Creighton
#5 Kentucky @ #10 Southern Cal
#13 Creighton @ #10 Southern Cal
#12 Illinois @ #25 Colorado State
#14 San Diego @ #17 Washington (x2)
#24 Cal Poly @ #20 Pittsburgh
Upset watch:
- Florida State @ #4 Minnesota, vs. #9 Wisconsin
- North Carolina @ #4 Minnesota, vs. #9 Wisconsin
- Northern Iowa @ #10 Southern Cal, vs. #13 Creighton, vs. #5 Kentucky
- #8 BYU @ Duke
- #11 UCLA @ Hawaii, vs. Kansas State
- #15 Colorado @ Wyoming
- Marquette/LSU @ #16 Baylor
- Saint Mary’s @ #19 Utah
- Pepperdine @ #20 Pittsburgh
- Oregon State @ #21 Iowa State
- #22 Michigan State @ Tennessee
- Pepperdine vs. #24 Cal Poly
Lionsfan’s Top 25
2. Nebraska
3. BYU
4. Minnesota
5. Kentucky
6. Texas
7. Wisconsin
8. Florida
9. Southern Cal
10. Colorado
11. Illinois
12. Baylor
13. UCLA
14. Penn State
15. Oregon
16. Washington
17. Creighton
18. Cal Poly
19. San Diego
20. Pittsburgh
21. Colorado State
22. Iowa State
23. Northern Iowa
24. Western Kentucky
25. Wichita State
