Three Southeastern Conference volleyball teams are ranked among the nation’s top-25, according to the 2012 Preseason Poll released Monday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
Kentucky is the highest ranked SEC team, checking in at No. 13, defending SEC Champion Tennessee is ranked No. 15, while Florida is No. 18. Fellow SEC teams LSU, Missouri and Texas A&M also are receiving votes.
Kentucky finished the 2011 season with a 28-6 overall record and its second appearance in the NCAA Regional Semifinals in the last three years. Tennessee tallied a 28-4 record, including an impressive 19-1 mark in conference play to capture its second overall and first outright SEC Championship in program history. Florida went 27-6 a year ago and reached the NCAA Regional Finals for the first time since 2005.
Defending NCAA Champion UCLA is top-rated in the preseason poll, while Texas checks in at No. 2 and Penn State is No. 3. Nebraska (No. 4) and Southern Cal (No. 5) round out the national preseason top-five.
2012 AVCA Preseason Poll
1. UCLA
2. Texas
3. Penn State
4. Nebraska
5. Southern Cal
6. Stanford
7. Illinois
8. Hawaii
9. Purdue
10. Iowa State
11. Pepperdine
12. Florida State
13. Kentucky
14. Washington
15. Tennessee
16. Minnesota
17. Cal
18. Florida
19. San Diego
20. Oregon
21. Northern Iowa
22. Kansas State
23. Michigan
24. Ohio State
25. Colorado State
Others Receiving Votes and appearing on two or more ballots: Long Beach State; North Carolina; Dayton; St. Mary's (Calif.); Michigan State; Louisville; Tulsa; LSU; Western Kentucky; Arizona; Texas A&M; Miami (Fla.); BYU; Missouri; Cincinnati; Oklahoma; Wichita State.