FSU Volleyball Ranked 14th In National Preseason Poll
Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's volleyball team is already drawing attention as the Bulldogs are ranked 14th nationally in the 2012 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II National Poll that was announced on Tuesday.
The Bulldogs, who concluded the 2011 season ranked 12th nationally in the final poll, compiled 358 total points and are one of two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) schools listed in the top 25 along with Hillsdale, which came in tied for 10th nationally.
Concordia-St. Paul was tabbed as the preseason national favorite followed by Tampa, Cal-State San Bernardino, Nebraska-Kearney and Central Missouri in the top five overall.
Ferris State is only a few spots shy of cracking the national top 10, which the Bulldogs have done 28 times in school history but not since doing so twice in the 1991 campaign. FSU's highest national ranking ever is sixth, which last came on Nov. 24, 1987.
Last season, the Bulldogs climbed to as high as 11th in the country, which represented the program's highest ranking in more than 20 years.
Ferris State officially opens its 2012 season on Friday, Aug. 31, with a pair of non-conference matches at the Ferris State Invitational in Big Rapids. The Bulldogs host Alderson-Broaddus (W.Va.) and Mercyhurst in their first two matches of the tournament. FSU then concludes tourney play on Saturday, Sept. 1, with contests against West Virginia State and Clarion (Pa.).
FSU compiled a 27-4 overall record in 2011 and won the GLIAC North Division Championship while also reaching the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Semifinals. The Bulldogs finished as league co-champions after posting an 18-1 conference mark under head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm.
Ferris State returns 11 letterwinners for the 2012 season, including a pair of All-GLIAC and all-region honorable mention selections in senior setter Samantha Fordyce (DeWitt) and senior middle hitter Anne Sutton (Grand Rapids/Northview).
Below is the complete AVCA Division II Preseason Poll:
|
Rank |
School (First-Place Votes) |
Total Points |
2011 Record |
2011 Final |
|
1 |
Concordia - St. Paul (32) |
800 |
32-4 |
1 |
|
2 |
Tampa |
760 |
33-2 |
3 |
|
3 |
Cal State San Bernardino |
700 |
32-1 |
2 |
|
4 |
Nebraska-Kearney |
660 |
32-2 |
9 |
|
5 |
Central Missouri |
642 |
29-5 |
4 |
|
6 |
SW Minnesota State |
624 |
25-7 |
8 |
|
T-7 |
Minnesota Duluth |
608 |
28-4 |
6 |
|
T-7 |
Washburn |
608 |
32-3 |
7 |
|
9 |
West Texas A&M |
484 |
34-3 |
13 |
|
T-10 |
Hillsdale |
458 |
32-3 |
5 |
|
T-10 |
Indianapolis |
458 |
24-8 |
15 |
|
12 |
Wayne State (Neb,) |
420 |
23-8 |
10 |
|
13 |
Metro State |
374 |
24-7 |
11 |
|
14 |
Ferris State |
358 |
28-4 |
12 |
|
15 |
Angelo State |
322 |
31-6 |
19 |
|
16 |
Flagler |
296 |
31-7 |
14 |
|
17 |
UC San Diego |
260 |
26-6 |
16 |
|
18 |
Lewis |
242 |
25-7 |
T-20 |
|
19 |
Eckerd |
215 |
27-5 |
22 |
|
20 |
BYU-Hawai'i |
191 |
19-4 |
NR |
|
21 |
Wingate |
170 |
32-1 |
18 |
|
22 |
Rollins |
148 |
24-11 |
NR |
|
23 |
Minnesota State |
105 |
20-9 |
T-20 |
|
24 |
Sonoma State |
89 |
23-7 |
24 |
|
T-25 |
Colorado School of Mines |
60 |
19-11 |
NR |
| T-25 | Wheeling Jesuit | 60 | 36-4 | 23 |
Others Receiving Votes and listed on two or more ballots: Fresno Pacific 42; Armstrong Atlantic State 39; West Florida 33; Missouri S&T 24; Seattle Pacific 24; Emporia State 20; Western Washington 20; University of Arkansas-Fort Smith 14; Alaska-Anchorage 11; Grand Valley 11; Truman 10; Florida Southern 7; Arkarnsas Tech 5
12 schools were listed on only one ballot for a total of 51 combined points.
Next Poll: September 3, 2012
