Hawaii is No. 3 when it comes to all-time weeks being ranked in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25, behind only Nebraska and Stanford. The Rainbow Wahine also are third when it comes to being ranked in the top 10, behind Nebraska and Penn State.
On Monday, Hawaii retained both of those positions when it moved into the top 10 for the first time in nearly two seasons. Helped by a loss by former No. 10 BYU to unranked Santa Clara on Saturday, the Wahine moved up a spot from No. 11, replacing the Cougars.
It was the first time since Oct. 21, 2013, when it was ranked eighth, that Hawaii (12-1, 2-0 Big West) was in the top 10.
The same schools remained in the top nine, but there was some shuffling, courtesy of No. 8 Stanford losing to then-No. 3 USC. The Women of Troy (14-0) moved up a spot to No. 2, trading places with Texas (12-1), and also picked up a first-place vote.
Although Penn State (13-0) didn’t lose — surviving in five against visiting Minnesota — the Nittany Lions did lose a first-place vote after being a unanimous choice the previous two weeks. Nebraska (11-1) remained at No. 4.
Washington (13-0) and Arizona State (13-0) both moved up a spot, to fifth and sixth. Illinois (11-2) is No. 7. Stanford (7-3) stayed at No. 8, while former No. 5 Florida (9-2) fell to ninth after being upset at home Saturday by new No. 21 Kentucky (10-5).
Moving up one place to No. 24 was Big West rival Long Beach State (12-3, 2-0). The Wahine’s only loss came four weeks ago to UCLA; the Bruins (10-2) moved up two spots to No. 11.
Hawaii puts its seven-match winning streak on the line when it leaves on its first road trip of the season Wednesday. The Rainbow Wahine are at Cal State Fullerton (0-13, 0-1) on Friday and at UC Riverside (6-8, 1-0) on Saturday.
