Juniata women’s volleyball ranked second in AVCA Preseason Poll

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The Juniata College women’s volleyball will begin its 2010 campaign ranked second in the nation, according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Women’s Volleyball Preseason Top 25 poll released Thursday.

Defending national champion Washington-St. Louis is atop the poll with 600 points and all 24 first-place votes.  Juniata trails Washington with 574 points, with Emory University third with 532 points. Hope College (527 pts.) and Colorado College (485 pts.) round out the top five.

The bottom half of the top ten includes Wisconsin-Oshkosh (471), Carthage (452), St. Thomas, Minn. (404), Calvin (391), and Ohio Northern (372). Juniata is scheduled to face three of the other nine schools in the top ten, and a total of 10 schools among the top 25.

Juniata, 36-4 last season, opens its 2010 campaign on Friday, Sept. 3, when the Eagles host no. 15 Christopher Newport University at 8:00 p.m. in the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center. That match will be part of Juniata’s annual season-opening Asics Invitational tournament, which features Juniata, Christopher Newport, Franklin & Marshall, and Dickinson.

AVCA Division III Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll

1         Washington-St. Louis (24) - 600
2         Juniata - 574
3         Emory - 532
4         Hope - 527
5         Colorado College - 485
6         Wisconsin-Oshkosh - 471
7         Carthage - 452
8         St. Thomas (Minn.) - 404
9         Calvin - 391
10       Ohio Northern - 372
11       Wittenberg - 317
12       Trinity (Texas) - 309
13       Wisconsin-Eau Claire - 294
14       Wisconsin-Whitewater - 274
15       Christopher Newport - 262
16       Southwestern (Texas) - 227
17       Pacific Lutheran - 209
18       Eastern - 190
19       St. Olaf - 165
20       Texas-Dallas - 143
21       NYU - 98
22       Tufts - 83
23       Heidelberg - 72
24       St. Mary’s (Minn.) - 66
25       Puget Sound - 42

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