Aug. 9, 2006
COLUMBIA, Mo.--Just as the first day of practices commenced in the Hearnes Center on Tuesday, the AVCA announced the results of its national, preseason coaches' poll. The Tigers were picked 13th, marking the squad's highest-preseason ranking in program history. Mizzou finished the 2005 season with a No. 8 national-ranking and a trip to the NCAA Regional Final.
The 2006 Mizzou team lost three starters to graduation - first-team All-American Lindsey Hunter, Lisa Boyd, and Shen Danru - and may have played a factor in the voters' ballots.
However, three more key starters and Big 12 Libero of the Year, Tatum Ailes return. Jessica Vander Kooi and Nicole Wilson earned AVCA honorable mention All-America honors in 2005 and are ready for their senior campaigns. Also returning are experienced veterans Na Yang and Abbie Booth who were vital to the Tiger rotation last season. To boot, adding to the fold is a group of young and talented Tigers who redshirted in the last two years who will bring needed depth.
Defending Big 12 Champion and national runner-up Nebraska was picked No. 1 for the second-straight year. Also from the Big 12, Texas was picked No. 8 with Kansas State holding the No. 25 spot. Colorado and Texas A&M also received votes in the poll.
For this season, the Tigers will also face No. 2 Penn State (the Nittany Lions captured the most first-place votes), No. 6 Santa Clara, and No. 21 Notre Dame. In addition, Mizzou will face Long Beach State who is receiving votes on the poll.
The Tigers completed the 2005 season with a No. 8 national-ranking after reaching the round-of-eight in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. The squad's 25-5 record a year ago ranks as the winningest in Mizzou Volleyball history. The squad also cut into the top 10 for the first time last season after starting the season at No. 21 in the preseason poll.
|
CSTV/AVCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll | |||||
|
Preseason - Aug. 8 | |||||
|
Rank |
School |
(First-Place Votes) |
Total |
Points |
FinalRank |
|
1 |
Nebraska |
(14) |
1431 |
33-2 |
2 |
|
2 |
Penn State |
(17) |
1407 |
31-3 |
5 |
|
3 |
Washington |
(16) |
1357 |
32-1 |
1 |
|
4 |
Stanford |
(13) |
1287 |
26-6 |
13 |
|
5 |
Florida |
1181 |
33-3 |
3 |
|
|
6 |
Santa Clara |
1115 |
27-5 |
4 |
|
|
7 |
Hawai'i |
1067 |
27-7 |
9 |
|
|
8 |
Texas |
1066 |
24-5 |
16 |
|
|
9 |
Wisconsin |
896 |
26-7 |
10 |
|
|
10 |
UCLA |
837 |
20-11 |
15 |
|
|
11 |
Tennessee |
779 |
25-9 |
6 |
|
|
12 |
Louisville |
751 |
31-3 |
11 |
|
|
13 |
Missouri |
732 |
25-5 |
8 |
|
|
14 |
Southern California |
642 |
17-11 |
19 |
|
|
15 |
Ohio |
593 |
33-3 |
14 |
|
|
16 |
Purdue |
545 |
25-9 |
17 |
|
|
17 |
California |
528 |
19-11 |
20 |
|
|
18 |
Arizona |
491 |
25-6 |
7 |
|
|
19 |
Pepperdine |
484 |
19-12 |
18 |
|
|
20 |
San Diego |
413 |
23-6 |
22 |
|
|
21 |
Notre Dame |
411 |
30-4 |
12 |
|
|
22 |
Minnesota |
393 |
25-8 |
21 |
|
|
23 |
Ohio State |
346 |
22-9 |
23 |
|
|
24 |
Utah |
202 |
23-9 |
T-25 |
|
|
25 |
Kansas State |
162 |
21-11 |
24 |
|
Others Receiving Votes: Brigham Young 74; Long Beach State 64; Colorado 35; UC-Santa Barbara 33; LSU 32; New Mexico State 25; Duke 22; Loyola Marymount 18; Northwestern 14; Texas A&M 11; Maryland 7; Marshall 6; Saint Mary's (CA) 6; Wichita State 6; Northern Iowa 5; San Francisco 5; Colorado State 4; Virginia 3; Albany 2; Sacramento State 2; Cincinnati 2; Dayton 2; Georgia Tech 2; Western Kentucky 2; College of Charleston 1; South Carolina 1.