The American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll was released on Monday and the Colorado St. Rams volleyball team came in at No. 25, receiving 136 points. This is the fifth straight year the Rams have been ranked to open the season. The Rams also closed out the previous season as the No. 25 team in the nation.
From the Colorado St. press release:
"Really, we have to win games to stay in there," [head coach Tom] Hilbert said. "At 25, if you take a bad loss, you’re dropping out. We’ve got to win solidly in order to stay in, and with our schedule, that’s not going to be very easy. On the other hand, we have several matches that will help us advance. You beat a Pepperdine or a Tennessee and you’re making a move."
UCLA opened up as the clear No. 1, gaining 54 first-place votes. The Rams host UCLA on Sept, 15 in Fort Collins, but they'll be in action well before then. On Aug. 24-5, the Rams host the Rocky Mountain Invitational.