Hawaii Rainbow Wahine repeat outside AVCA preseason Top 25 poll
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
Jangle Gong returned a serve, Saturday, on the first day of practice for the UH Wahine volleyball team. The Hawaii women’s volleyball team received votes in today’s AVCA preseason Top 25, the second consecutive year the program was unranked in the Top 25.
The Hawaii women’s volleyball team received votes in today’s AVCA preseason Top 25 poll, the second consecutive year the program was unranked in the Top 25.
The Rainbow Wahine received 13 points, placing them at 32nd along with Northern Iowa. Prior to 2018, Hawaii had been ranked in the coaches’ preseason poll every season since it began in 1982.
Last season, the Wahine (18-9) received points (27) in the preseason poll but never broke into the Top 25. Hawaii ranks fifth all-time in being ranked at 500 weeks, trailing Nebraska (542) and Stanford (542), USC (512) and UCLA (505).
In today’s poll, defending national champion Stanford was ranked No. 1, the Cardinal receiving 62 of 64 first-place votes. Nebraska was second with one vote, followed by Minnesota, Texas and Wisconsin.
Penn State, ranked No. 8, received one first-place vote.
Hawaii has four ranked teams on its schedule this season including its opening opponent on Aug. 30, San Diego, at No. 21. Washington is at No. 13, Baylor at No. 20 and Cal Poly — the only Big West team in the Top 25 — at No. 23.
