@MizzouVB Finishes #16 in Final 2016 AVCA Coaches Poll
12/19/2016 4:50:00 PM | Volleyball
Tigers finish ranked top 25 for seventh time in school history
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Following a standout 2016 campaign, Mizzou Volleyball placed No. 16 in the final American Volleyball Coaches Association top 25 poll, as announced Monday by the AVCA office.
Monday afternoon's recognition marks the Tigers' top ranking in a final AVCA Coaches poll since 2013. That year's Mizzou squad ranked No. 12 in the final AVCA poll, following its memorable 35-1 season and first-ever SEC Championship.
Since the AVCA top 25 poll's inception in 1982, Mizzou Volleyball has cracked the final poll seven times. The Tigers' top ranking to conclude a season occurred in 2005, as that year's team advanced to the NCAA Tournament Regional Final (Elite 8).
This season, Mizzou reached the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time since 2000. After their two thrilling wins at the Hearnes Center in first and second round matchups, the Tigers advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2010.
Before its memorable NCAA Tournament run, Mizzou clinched its second SEC Championship in the past four seasons. The Tigers finished SEC action with a 16-2 record and claimed the conference's NCAA automatic qualifier bid due to a head-to-head victory over Florida (Nov. 20). Mizzou entered this year's NCAA Tournament as the No. 15 national seed.
The Tigers received a bevy of postseason awards in 2016, highlighted by three All-SEC honors, four AVCA Southeast All-Region accolades and three AVCA All-America awards. Head Coach Wayne Kreklow also garnered a pair of impressive honors, as he was named 2016 AVCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year and SEC Coach of the Year.
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