Long Beach State University Athletics
49ers To Begin Season In Top 25
8/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Long Beach State To Open Season In Top 25 LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State women's volleyball has once again returned to the land of increased preseason expectations, as the 49ers have been tabbed 19th in the preseason AVCA Top 25 Poll as announced by the coaching organization today. The poll is voted on by a selection of NCAA Division I coaches, including 49er head coach Brian Gimmillaro. Entering the 2007 season with five returning starters from a squad that went 26-6 and made its 20th straight NCAA appearance, the 49ers have high hopes for a season that includes some of the top teams in the nation, including an opening weekend against two other teams from the top 25 in No. 2 Stanford and No. 15 San Diego on August 24 and 25. The team is led by National Player of the Year Candidate Alexis Crimes, who returns for her senior season after earning All-America honors for the third consecutive year in 2006, as well as Michaela Hasalikova, who also earned All Big-West honors last season. "I honestly can't say just how good we are yet," said head Coach Brian Gimmillaro. "I do know that we have some outstanding players on this team though. Alexis is one of the very best in the country, and Michaela is developing into a great player. In these early polls, all of these coaches do their best to get the placing right. I think that we'll have a better idea where we stand after our first two matches." Cal Poly was also selected in the Top 25, receiving the No. 14 spot, giving the Big West two teams in the Top 25 to open the year. UC Santa Barbara also earned 12 votes in the initial poll. Long Beach State will have plenty of opportunities to increase their standing in the polls through the year. In addition to the opening weekend and their two matchups with Cal Poly, the team is also scheduled to face No. 7 Florida, No. 8 Washington, and No. 25 Ohio during the season. CSTV/AVCA Division I Coaches Poll Others receiving votes: Louisville 157, Pepperdine 126, New Mexico State 104, Notre Dame 86, Colorado State 76, Colorado 63, Arizona 44, Iowa State 39, Michigan 31, Northern Iowa 29, Texas A&M, Kentucky 24, St. John's 24, Alabama 22, Michigan 22, UC Santa Barbara 12, Wichita State 11,Tennessee 10, Middle Tennessee 9, Sacramento State 5, Georgia Tech 3, Oregon 3. |
