University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Ranked No. 11 In AVCA Preseason Poll
August 9, 2017 | Volleyball
LEXINGTON, Ky. – North Carolina volleyball has been ranked No. 11 in the AVCA Preseason Poll, as selected by the voting members of the American Volleyball Coaches Association. It marks the fifth time that UNC has been ranked in the AVCA Preseason Poll and is the second-highest preseason ranking in Carolina history.
The Tar Heels have been ranked in the AVCA Top 25 every week since Nov. 9, 2015, including 11 weeks in the top 10. An opening-weekend victory at No. 9 Penn State jumped Carolina from No. 19 (preseason) to No. 12 in the first poll of the 2016, and the Tar Heels have remained in the top 12 ever since. A four-match winning streak bumped Carolina up to No. 6 on Nov. 14, 2016, the highest AVCA ranking in program history, where it remained for the final three polls of the regular season. After falling to No. 8 UCLA in the NCAA Regional Semifinals, UNC was ranked No. 11 in the 2016 Final Poll.
North Carolina appeared in the AVCA Preseason Poll for the first time in 2003, coming in at No. 20 after its first-ever trip to NCAA Regionals in 2002. The Tar Heels were ranked No. 20 once again in the 2014 Preseason Poll. An ACC Championship and NCAA Regional Final appearance gave UNC its highest preseason ranking ever at No. 7 in 2015. The Heels ranked No. 19 in last season's preseason poll, before quickly rising into the top 10.
North Carolina will face five teams that appear in the AVCA Preseason Poll this season, seeing three teams in the top 12 over the first two weekends of play. The Heels open the regular season in Madison, Wisconsin, at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge where they will take on No. 4 Minnesota and No. 7 Wisconsin. The following weekend, UNC will square off against No. 12 Florida at the Puerto Rico Clasico. ACC foe Florida State opens the season ranked No. 15, while Pittsburgh is receiving votes, sitting in 32nd.
NCAA Runner-Up Texas takes the top spot in the 2017 AVCA Preseason Poll, followed by NCAA Champion Stanford and fellow Pac-12 member Washington. The next four spots belong to the Big Ten, in No. 4 Minnesota, No. 5 Nebraska, No. 6 Penn State and No. 7 Wisconsin, while No. 8 Kansas, No. 9 Creighton and No. 10 BYU round out the top 10. No. 25 Purdue is the only team in the top 25 of the Preseason Poll that was not in the 2016 Final Poll, replacing then-No. 24 Washington State.
North Carolina opens the 2017 regular season on Friday, Aug. 25, against No. 4 Minnesota at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Fans can get a sneak peak at the 2017 Tar Heels on Saturday, Aug. 19, at the annual Blue and White scrimmage, held at Carmichael Arena at 5 p.m.
AVCA Division I Coaches Top-25 Preseason Poll
| Rk. | School (FPV) | Points | 2016 Record | Final Rank |
| 1 | Texas (25) | 1547 | 27-5 | 2 |
| 2 | Stanford (35) | 1533 | 27-7 | 1 |
| 3 | Washington (2) | 1370 | 29-5 | 7 |
| 4 | Minnesota (2) | 1349 | 29-5 | 3 |
| 5 | Nebraska | 1313 | 31-3 | 4 |
| 6 | Penn State | 1249 | 24-10 | 10 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 1145 | 28-5 | 5 |
| 8 | Kansas | 1085 | 27-3 | 12 |
| 9 | Creighton | 1007 | 29-7 | 9 |
| 10 | BYU | 975 | 29-4 | 8 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 939 | 29-4 | 11 |
| 12 | Florida | 925 | 27-4 | 15 |
| 13 | UCLA | 866 | 27-7 | 6 |
| 14 | Kentucky | 654 | 23-8 | 23 |
| 15 | Florida State | 641 | 26-6 | 13 |
| 16 | Michigan | 615 | 24-11 | 14 |
| 17 | Michigan State | 523 | 25-9 | 19 |
| 18 | Oregon | 498 | 21-10 | 21 |
| 19 | Missouri | 424 | 27-6 | 16 |
| 20 | Hawai'i | 343 | 23-6 | 17 |
| 21 | Ohio State | 332 | 22-13 | 18 |
| 22 | San Diego | 287 | 24-6 | 22 |
| 23 | Utah | 203 | 20-12 | 25 |
| 24 | Arizona | 174 | 20-15 | 20 |
| 25 | Purdue | 147 | 19-14 | RV |
Others receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots: Southern California 105; Western Kentucky 98; Dayton 71; Washington State 67; Iowa State 62; Colorado State 55; Pittsburgh 49; Baylor 37; Kansas State 36; Boise State 21; Wichita State 7; Texas A&M 6; SMU 2
Nine teams mentioned on only one ballot for a total of 40 combined points.
