Huskers Picked Second in USA TODAY/CSTV Top 25 Coaches Poll

Lincoln ? After being picked by the Big 12 coaches to win the conference title, the University of Nebraska volleyball program received more good news Monday afternoon, as the Huskers were picked second in the initial USA Today/CSTV Top 25 Coaches Poll released by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).

The Huskers were the biggest mover in the preseason poll, jumping 11 spots from its No. 13 final ranking at the end of the 2003 season. Nebraska also received five of the 65 first-place votes and was one of only five schools (USC, Minnesota, Stanford and California were the others) to receive at least one first-place vote in the preseason poll. The No. 2 ranking is Nebraska’s highest ranking since September of 2002, when the Huskers spent the first two weeks of the season ranked second in the poll before finishing with a 31-2 record.

Nebraska, which has been ranked in all 304 polls since the inception of the AVCA Poll in 1982, returns five starters along with its libero from a team that went 28-5 and reached the regional semifinals. Included among the Huskers’ returnees are junior middle blocker Melissa Elmer, who earned second-team AVCA All-America honors in 2003, and two-time all-Big 12 outside hitter Jennifer Saleaumua.

The Huskers, who were also chosen to win the Big 12 in the league’s preseason poll announced Monday, are one of three teams in the USA Today/CSTV poll, joining No. 14 Kansas State and No. 15 Texas A&M.

Two-time defending national champion USC was picked as the nation’s No. 1 team, earning 56 first-place votes and totaling 1,596 points in the poll. UCLA, which defeated NU during last season’s NCAA Regional, was third, while Florida and Minnesota round out the top five.

The Huskers will face four teams in the AVCA Preseason Top 25, including non-conference matchups against No. 11 Colorado State and No. 25 Notre Dame. In addition to the four ranked foes, Nebraska will also square off against eight other teams who received votes in the preseason publication.

Nebraska opens fall practice on Wednesday, Aug. 11, and hosts the annual Red/White Scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 28. The Huskers open the 2004 season at No. 25 Notre Dame on Sept. 3. Tickets for all of the Huskers’ 2004 matches are available by calling the Nebraska Ticket Office at 800-8-Big Red, or on the Internet at Huskers.com.

-- Huskers --

USA TODAY/CSTV Top 25 Coaches Poll

Rank

School (First-Place Votes)

Total Points

2003 Record

2003 Final

1

USC (56)

1,596

35-0

1

2

Nebraska (5)

1,417

28-5

13

3

UCLA

1,386

24-9

5

4

Florida

1,360

36-2

2

5

Minnesota (1)

1,318

26-11

4

6

Stanford (2)

1,230

25-7

10

7

Washington

1,170

23-9

9

8

Penn State

1,160

31-5

7

9

Pepperdine

1,091

27-3

6

10

California (1)

1,082

25-7

12

11

Colorado State

997

30-5

14

12

Georgia Tech

931

34-4

8

13

Hawai'i

718

36-2

3

14

Kansas State

658

30-5

11

15

Texas A&M

552

23-10

16

16

UC Santa Barbara

546

19-9

22

17

Arizona

500

17-15

NR

18

Loyola Marymount

438

26-7

17

19

Illinois

426

26-7

15

20

Louisville

304

25-6

20

21

Northern Iowa

272

28-6

18

22

Santa Clara

271

20-11

19

23

Wisconsin

260

22-11

21

24

Utah

161

22-9

23

25

Notre Dame

136

23-7

24

Others receiving points and listed on two or more ballots: Maryland 112, Cincinnati 110, Long Beach State 108, San Diego 105, Texas 88, Kansas 85, Missouri 78, Michigan 68, Colorado 59, Brigham Young 58, Michigan State 45, UC Irvine 39, Pittsburgh 34, Florida A&M 27, Ohio 20, Arkansas 18, Wichita State 13, Fresno State 12, Tennessee 11, North Carolina 8, Ohio State 7, Pacific 7, Western Michigan 6, Ball State 3, Florida State 2. Four teams mentioned on only one ballot for a total of 22 combined points

Dropped Out: Maryland (25th in final 2003 poll)
Poll conducted and distributed by the AVCA