Nebraska Volleyball Gains Another First-Place Vote, Remains No. 1 in AVCA Poll

Nebraska volleyball added another first-place vote from Texas, controlling the top spot in college volleyball for another week.

The Huskers (20-0, 10-0 Big Ten) continued their No. 1 ranking in another edition of the AVCA coaches poll released on Monday. Nebraska earned 59 of the 61 possible first-place votes, adding a first-place vote in back-to-back weeks from No. 2 Texas. The Longhorns (18-0, 10-0 SEC) secured two first-place ballots in this week’s poll. NU earned home sweeps over Northwestern and Michigan State this past weekend, while Texas handled a four-set road test at Ole Miss Friday, then swept LSU on the road Sunday.

Nebraska added a first-place vote from Texas from last week’s poll after continuing its conference sweep streak. The Big Red have yet to give up a set in Big Ten play, and last dropped a set on Sept. 16 to Creighton. Texas has remained the No. 2-ranked program since the week two edition of the AVCA polls, having begun the season at No. 5. The Longhorns earned four first-place votes in the Sept. 22 edition of the rankings, but have not met that mark since.

Nebraska has earned victories over four of the top 10 teams in the current rankings, taking down No. 4 Pittsburgh in the season opener 3-1, followed by a sweep over No. 5 Stanford. The Huskers reverse-swept No. 3 Kentucky on Aug. 31 at Bridgestone Arena and won in a sweep over No. 10 Purdue on Oct. 12. Nebraska also has top 25 wins over No. 12 Creighton and No. 19 Penn State.

Nebraska and Texas remain the only unbeaten programs in the top 25. The Longhorns also swept their opening weeks of SEC conference play, taking down Vanderbilt, Missouri, Georgia, Mississippi State, Arkansas, and LSU in straight sets. Texas has given up sets in four-set conference victories over Alabama, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss while taking down Tennessee in five sets on Oct. 8.

The Big Ten Conference regained a stronger foothold in the top 10 rankings, as No. 1 Nebraska led the pack while No. 10 Purdue moved up one spot in the poll. No. 11 Wisconsin also inched up one spot, while the conference added No. 19 Penn State, No. 20 Minnesota, No. 22 USC, and No. 24 Indiana. UCLA and Illinois each received votes in this week’s poll, as UCLA fell from No. 25 in this week’s ranking.

The Southeastern Conference continued to hold firm with three top-10 teams in No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Kentucky, and No. 9 Texas A&M. The SEC added No. 16 Tennessee and No. 25 Florida to total five ranked top 25 programs. Missouri also received votes in this week’s ranking.

The Atlantic Coast Conference leads all conferences with four top 10 programs, as No. 4 Pittsburgh, No. 5 Stanford, No. 7 SMU, and No. 8 Louisville led the ACC. No. 15 Miami (FL) and No. 21 North Carolina also earned top 25 nods, totaling five ranked programs for the conference. Georgia Tech received votes in this week’s ranking.

The Big 12 Conference had one top 10 representative as No. 6 Arizona State led the conference in this week’s rankings. No. 13 TCU dropped from the top 10, while No. 14 Kansas, No. 17 BYU, No. 18 Baylor, and No. 23 Colorado rounded out the Big 12’s ranked teams. Iowa State received votes in this week’s poll, giving the Big 12 seven teams earning votes in this week’s rankings, the most of any conference.

The Big East Conference placed only one team in the rankings with No. 12 Creighton, inching up one spot from last week’s poll. Creighton has not dropped a set in six straight matches, dropping its last conference set against DePaul in Chicago on Oct. 4.

Other teams receiving votes in this week’s poll included UCLA, Missouri, Western Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa State, Georgia Tech, and UTEP. Four teams were mentioned on only one ballot for a combined eight points.

Nebraska volleyball has five regular-season matches remaining against ranked opponents. The Huskers are set to travel to No. 11 Wisconsin on Oct. 31, then visit No. 20 Minnesota on Nov. 8. The Huskers then travel to the West Coast, taking on RV UCLA and No. 22 USC on Nov. 14 and Nov. 16, respectively. Nebraska’s final ranked matchups finish at No. 24 Indiana and a home rematch with No. 19 Penn State on Nov. 28. The Huskers also await a home tilt with RV Illinois on Nov. 6.

The Huskers continue Big Ten Conference play this week, traveling to Madison, Wis., for a top 25 tilt with the No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers on Friday night at 8 p.m. CDT. Nebraska then returns home on Sunday for a 1 p.m. CST first serve against Oregon. Both contests will be televised on the Big Ten Network and will be broadcast across the Huskers Radio Network and its affiliate stations.

AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll

1. Nebraska (59)
2. Texas (2)
3. Kentucky
4. Pittsburgh
5. Stanford
6. Arizona State
7. SMU
8. Louisville
9. Texas A&M
10. Purdue
11. Wisconsin
12. Creighton
13. TCU
14. Kansas
15. Miami (FL)
16. Tennessee
17. BYU
18. Baylor
19. Penn State
20. Minnesota
21. North Carolina
22. USC
23. Colorado
24. Indiana
25. Florida

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