DENVER, COLO. The University of Hawaii is ranked fourth in the USA Today/AVCA volleyball preseason poll. The Rainbow Wahine, who ended the 2001 season with a 29-5 record, are fourth behind defending national champion Stanford, Nebraska and Southern California.
Hawaii is also ranked second in the Volleyball Magazine preseason poll. Hawaii was the only WAC school to start the season ranked by both polls. San Jose State received votes in both the USA Today/AVCA and Volleyball Magazine preseason polls. The Spartans received 67 votes in the AVCA poll.
The Rainbow Wahine ended the 2001 season ranked No. 13 in the final USA Today poll. The Rainbow Wahine also earned their second Western Athletic Conference Tournament title.
The Rainbow Wahine and the Spartans were picked by the WAC coaches to finish first and second, respectively, in the WAC this season. The 2002 WAC volleyball season begins on Friday, August 30 with all 10 teams in action.
USA TODAY/AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25
Preseason Poll, August 12, 2002
Rank School (First-Place Votes) Total Points 2001 Record Final 2001
1 Stanford (54) 1610 33-2 1
2 Nebraska (4) 1502 31-2 3
3 USC (2) 1445 25-4 5
4 Hawai'i (5) 1349 29-5 13
5 Long Beach State 1300 33-1 2
6 Arizona 1282 25-5 4
7 Florida 1255 28-2 6
8 Pepperdine 1188 23-4 8
9 Ohio State 1064 27-4 12
10 Wisconsin 967 27-4 7
11 UCLA 912 21-9 9
12 Pacific 778 28-8 14
13 Utah 654 25-7 15
14 Northern Iowa 645 31-2 16
15 Michigan State 629 21-8 19
16 Penn State 620 22-8 17
17 Texas A&M 482 26-6 11
18 Colorado State 411 29-4 10
19 Illinois 385 21-9 20
20 UC Santa Barbara 346 17-14 NR
21 Colorado 308 19-11 23
22 Kansas State 232 20-8 18
23 BYU 203 20-9 22
24 Santa Clara 195 19-10 NR
25 Notre Dame 191 22-7 NR
Others receiving points and listed on two or more ballots: South Carolina (161), North Carolina (155), Texas (117), Louisville (105), San Diego (97), Washington State (81), San Jose State (67), Minnesota (66), Missouri (58), Arkansas (53), Utah State (47), Duke (36), Baylor (26), Cincinnati (12), Georgia Tech (10), Loyola Marymount (10), Michigan (10), Texas Tech (9), Cal Poly (7), Eastern Washington (7), Oregon State (7), South Florida (4), Alabama (3), Southwest Missouri State (3).
Seven teams mentioned on only one ballot for a total of 21 combined points