Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Ranked 24th In AVCA Preseason Poll
August 12, 2015 | Volleyball
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Colorado volleyball team has earned a No. 24 preseason ranking in the AVCA Division I Coaches Poll.
The Buffs are one of nine Pac-12 Conference schools ranked in the poll, the most of any conference. The Big Ten landed the second most schools in the poll with six. Stanford, which was picked to win the Pac-12 Conference on Tuesday, is the highest ranked league team at second.
"Starting off the season in the top-25 poll points to the growth of the program in recent years and it serves as motivation for players to continue to get better every day," head coach Liz Kritza said.
The Buffs return six of their seven starters from 2014. They are seniors Alexis Austin (OH) and Nicole Edelman (S), juniors Katelyn Cuff (MB) and Cierra Simpson (L/DS), as well as sophomores Anna Pfefferle (MB) and Gabby Simpson (S/H).
Colorado starts its season with some tough competition. CU hosts ninth ranked Florida State on August 29 at the Omni Hotels Colorado Volleyball Classic. The other two teams that will be at the tournament, San Diego and Oklahoma, are receiving votes. The following week, the Buffs face top-ranked Penn State, the reigning NCAA Champion, and No. 8 Illinois, Sept. 4-5, at the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge in State College, Pa.
"We will be playing one of the toughest schedules of any team in the country, and as always our goals are aimed at an even higher finish this season," Kritza said. "Continual improvement is essential and our take on polls and preseason awards is that it matters more to us where we are in December than where we are in August."
Season tickets start at just $25 for general admission and are on sale now online or by calling 303-49-BUFFS. Reserved seats are $40 for the season and floor seats are available for $50. New this year is the Volleyball VIP Package which gives fans a floor seat, access to VIP parking, pre-match chalk talks with the coaches, special entrance access and admission the volleyball banquet. These are available for $500. Fans interested in floor seats or the VIP Package, please call 303-492-8130.
Single match tickets are also available. General admission seats are $5, reserved seats are $8 and floor seats can be purchased for $10. Kids 12 and under are free. During the non-conference portion of the schedule, fans can receive a free bag of popcorn at each contest.
Fans can also purchase the Women's Sports Pass, which is new this season and supports women's basketball, soccer and volleyball. For just $125, over 50 percent off the single game box office price for those three sports, the Women's Sports Pass allows for seating in general admission areas at each venue for three of the most successful programs at CU. Once you purchase the pass, you will be mailed season tickets for all three sports.
AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll
Preseason Poll: August 12, 2015
|
Rank School (First Place Votes) Total Points 2014 Record '14 Final Ranking |
||||
|
1 |
Penn State (54) |
1538 |
36-3 |
1 |
|
2 |
Stanford (6) |
1468 |
33-2 |
2 |
|
3 |
Texas (1) |
1384 |
27-3 |
5 |
|
4 |
Florida |
1338 |
28-4 |
6 |
|
T-5 |
Nebraska |
1275 |
23-10 |
8 |
|
T-5 |
Wisconsin (1) |
1275 |
31-3 |
4 |
|
7 |
North Carolina |
1158 |
29-3 |
7 |
|
8 |
Illinois |
1055 |
26-8 |
11 |
|
9 |
Florida State |
986 |
30-3 |
10 |
|
10 |
Washington |
953 |
31-3 |
9 |
|
11 |
BYU |
919 |
30-5 |
3 |
|
12 |
Colorado State |
754 |
31-3 |
12 |
|
13 |
Oregon |
722 |
23-10 |
14 |
|
14 |
Ohio State |
700 |
23-12 |
18 |
|
15 |
Kentucky |
603 |
27-6 |
17 |
|
16 |
Arizona State |
529 |
20-14 |
22 |
|
17 |
Arizona |
498 |
24-10 |
16 |
|
18 |
Hawai'i |
401 |
22-7 |
23 |
|
19 |
Michigan State |
340 |
19-14 |
NR |
|
20 |
UCLA |
316 |
22-12 |
15 |
|
21 |
Iowa State |
273 |
19-10 |
NR |
|
22 |
Southern California |
255 |
16-16 |
NR |
|
23 |
Utah |
211 |
20-13 |
18 |
|
24 |
Colorado |
188 |
20-14 |
21 |
|
25 |
Duke |
168 |
22-8 |
25 |
Others receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots: Long Beach State 147; Purdue 131; Oklahoma 103; Oregon State 89; Texas A&M 84; Minnesota 78; Kansas 48; Arkansas-Little Rock 33; Alabama 24; Western Kentucky 20; Creighton 15; Michigan 12; San Diego 10; Wichita State 9; LSU 8; Miami (FL) 7; American 4.
2015 Opponents Are Bolded.
