2018 AVCA Poll Notes: Aug. 27, 2018
Aug 29, 2018 12:23:11 GMT -5
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Post by lionsfan on Aug 29, 2018 12:23:11 GMT -5
Here’s a look at some notes from the past week and the upcoming week, based on the new AVCA Coaches Poll released on Monday, August 27:
Holding Steady: With wins over two teams we know can be dangerous—American and Howard—#1 Stanford survived the upsets (and the disgusting DC humidity…trust me, it’s nasty) on the first leg of its very ambitious pre-conference schedule. But it just gets tougher. Up next for the Card, a trip to Provo to face #9 BYU, “receiving votes” Wichita State (which is ranked in lionsfan’s poll!) and West Virginia. BYU is 3-8 all-time against Stanford, its last win coming at home in 2006 when the unranked Cougs upended #4 Stanford.
The Rematch: It didn’t take long for the 2017 title contenders to meet again, with then-#7 Florida heading to a sellout crowd in Lincoln to take on the then-#2 Huskers. With a 3-1 win, the Gators won for the first time in four tries in Lincoln. Florida is now 4-9 all-time against Nebraska, and—after losing in five the next day to Texas—climbed three spots to #4, with Texas moving up one spot to #2 after also taking out Oregon. The Huskers dropped three spots to #5.
Florida has no time to rest—up next are battles with “receiving votes” Louisville and a red-hot Southern Cal team in a rematch of last year’s thrilling five-set regional final in Gainesville. With an impressive 3-0 weekend against three now-ranked teams, the Trojans climbed three spots to #7. The Gators are 4-5 all-time against USC, but have won three in a row after losing five straight.
Top Ten, Again! As if two Top 10 battles wasn’t enough to make this weekend exciting, we’re treated to a third when #2 Texas travels to #8 Wisconsin. By lionsfan’s count, this is the third matchup between the programs with both of them in the Top 10. The last time these two teams met was the 2013 NCAA semifinals in Seattle, when the #12-seeded Badgers stunned the top-seeded Longhorns in four (two nights before Penn State beat the Badgers in four to win its sixth national championship).
The two teams opened up the 2006 season with #8 Texas sweeping the #9 Badgers in Madison for the AVCA College Volleyball Showcase—with the Longhorns also ending the #10 Badgers’ season that year with a sweep in the Regional Semifinals in Austin. #11 Texas swept the Badgers in Austin in 1983 at the Longhorn Invitational, the #9 Longhorns doing it the next year in five at the same tourney. Wisconsin’s only other win came in its outstanding 1997 season, when the #11 Badgers swept #10 Texas at the Wisconsin Classic (one night before Penn State also beat the Longhorns at the same tourney).
Panthers on the Prowl (both of ’em!): Props to you, Northern Iowa women’s volleyball team! With your upset wins of then-#5 Kentucky and then-#13 Creighton, UNI made the biggest leap up in the poll, from unranked to #17. But shame on you, Northern Iowa SID…you made lionsfan do his own homework to find out that this is the program’s highest ranking since Week 13 of the 2011 season, when the Panthers were #12 (their highest ranking that season came a week earlier at #11). The program’s highest ranking ever was #6 in 2003.
How high can they climb this year? UNI’s very difficult preseason continues with a Wednesday-night clash against cross-state rival Iowa State (freshly unranked after falling at home to Oregon State), and two matches against 2-0 Washington State, which is receiving votes in the poll.
Meanwhile, after going 3-0 over the weekend and beating #24 Cal Poly (which stayed steady at 24), Pittsburgh climbed six spots to #14…the program’s highest ranking in history. Previously, the Panthers’ highest ranking was #17 way back in 1990. Entering this season, Pitt was only ranked a total of 12 times ever in the poll, and it already has two this year. The Panthers look to keep the good times rolling this weekend against Oklahoma, VCU and host Seton Hall. Congrats to Pitt on making history!
Another History Lesson: Pitt has some company in the history department. From the Baylor SID: “After a 3-0 start to the season for the first time since 2012, Baylor volleyball is ranked a program-best No. 12…(which) shatters the previous the all-time program record set in 2009 at No. 17. During that season, BU was ranked for 10 straight weeks and peaked at No. 17, which stood as the program-high ranking for eight years in the 36-year history of the AVCA poll. The Bears (3-0) are ranked for the 28th time in program history and have been listed in the poll for seven straight weeks dating back to the 2017 season.”
Go (Other) Blue! With two 3-0 sweep wins over the weekend—including an impressive effort over host Auburn—Michigan was the only other new entrant into this week’s poll. It moved from second out to #23, swapping spots with rival (and previously #22) Michigan State, which lost to Tennessee. That keeps it at seven Big Ten teams in the poll.
Feeling Blue: With a surprising 0-3 weekend (against some very tough competition), preseason #5 Kentucky had the biggest drop of the week, falling 11 spots to #16. It was the only team to fall out of the Top 10, with UCLA moving up one spot to #10 (note: the Bruins are at #6 in all-time Top 10 poll appearances, now at 339, right behind Penn State with 352). The Wildcats stay home and try to get back on track at the Bluegrass Battle, playing host to Kansas, Dayton and the College of Charleston—none of them an easy out.
Ute Gotta Be Kidding: Look, it’s not like I don’t think Utah is a great program…but the biggest headscratcher in this week’s poll was the Utes staying ranked. They fell just three spots to #22 after a home loss to Saint Mary’s and a close five-set call against Denver. Fellow Pac team Washington, meanwhile, impressed with two wins over then-#14 San Diego, rising four spots to #13. The Huskies host the Pac 12/Big Ten Challenge (wait…there’s another one?!), joining #21 Colorado (which fell six spots after falling in five at always-dangerous Wyoming) in matches against Iowa and #11 Illinois, which impressed in a five-set win at #25 Colorado State.
Rose Knows? Before you get on lionsfan's case for his ranking of our beloved team (see below), note that coach Russ Rose has them ranked even lower, at #16. The overwhelming majority of voters all have the Lions at #11 or better, with Texas Tech coach Tony Graystone slotting them in at #12. But one voter is even less impressed than the rest of us: Troy coach Josh Lauer, who has us at #20. (P.S., Troy is in Alabama...)
The Big Matches: Week 2
#2 Texas @ #8 Wisconsin
#7 Southern Cal @ #4 Florida
#10 UCLA vs. #12 Baylor (N)
#10 UCLA @ #19 San Diego
#12 Baylor @ #19 San Diego
#11 Illinois vs. #21 Colorado (N)
#11 Illinois @ #13 Washington
Upset watch:
- Wichita State vs. #1 Stanford
- Arkansas @ #3 Minnesota
- Louisville @ #4 Florida, vs. #7 Southern Cal
- Wichita State @ #9 BYU
- Oklahoma vs. #14 Pittsburgh
- VCU vs. #14 Pittsburgh
- N.C. State vs. #15 Creighton
- Kansas @ #16 Kentucky
- Dayton @ #16 Kentucky
- Iowa State @ #17 Northern Iowa
- Washington State @ #17 Northern Iowa (x2)
- Notre Dame @ #20 Purdue
- Gonzaga vs. #22 Utah (N)
- Iowa State vs. #22 Utah (N)
- LMU vs. #24 Cal Poly (N)
- Florida State @ #25 Colorado State
- TCU @ #25 Colorado State
- Cincinnati @ #25 Colorado State
Lionsfan’s Top 25
2. Texas (+3)
3. Florida (+5)
4. Southern Cal (+5)
5. Minnesota (-1)
6. Wisconsin (+1)
7. BYU (-4)
8. Nebraska (-6)
9. Northern Iowa (+14)
10 Illinois (+1)
11. Baylor (+1)
12. Washington (+4)
13. Creighton (+4)
14. Penn State
15. UCLA (-2)
16. Kentucky (-11)
17. Pittsburgh (+3)
18. Oregon (-3)
19. Michigan (NR)
20. Colorado State (+1)
21. San Diego (-2)
22. Wyoming (NR)
23. Colorado (-13)
24. Wichita State (+1)
25. Cal Poly (-7)
