Tampa Climbs to No. 3 in AVCA Poll
The Spartans move three spots to the No. 3 team after finishing the regular season with a 26-5 overall record.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After the regular season conclusion this past week, the University of Tampa volleyball team climbed three-spots to the No. 3 team in the nation as per the most recent release of the American Volleyball Coaches Association coaches' poll, announced Monday.
The Spartans await postseason selection with a 26-5 overall record after earning a pair of victories over Lynn and Nova Southeastern.
Concordia, St. Paul continues as the top team in the nation after defeating No. 17 Winona State in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament Final on Sunday. Fellow NSIC programs Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota-Duluth sit No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, while Ferris State inches into the No. 2 ranking in Division II.
Palm Beach Atlantic plummeted four spots as the Sailfish hold the No. 13 rank after being dealt a five-set defeat at the hands of No. 21 Florida Southern College. The Mocs improve one place after the upset win over PBA.
Regional foe West Florida hangs on to the No. 24 rank after losing in the Gulf South Conference tournament final to North Alabama. The five-set loss is the sixth defeat the Argonauts have suffered this season as teams are fighting for a postseason berth.
The Spartans have been ranked for 268 consecutive AVCA polling periods, a mark that ranks second only to No. 8 Central Missouri, as both are active program records. Tampa holds the Division II record for most times ranked in the top 10 with 259 releases of the AVCA coaches' poll and have garnered a top-10 rank for 147 consecutive polls.
UT will await the NCAA Division II Volleyball Selection Show for a potential postseason appearance. The show is set for a 7:30 p.m. (EST) start on www.ncaa.com under the "video" tab.
Click here for the complete AVCA Week 12 release
Fans may follow University of Tampa athletics on Twitter (www.twitter.com/tampaspartans) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/tampaspartans). UT also offers a free text messaging service that sends text alerts following all Spartan events. To sign up, please register at www.tampaspartans.com.