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Titans move up to No. 1 in national poll

by | Sep 23, 2009 | Headlines

For the first time in school history, the UW Oshkosh women’s volleyball team will enter a match as the top-ranked squad in the country.

UW Oshkosh went unbeaten in contests against Ripon College, St. Norbert College, UW-River Falls and UW-Stout last week to move up two spots in the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s (AVCA) NCAA Division III poll released on Tuesday (Sept. 22). The Titans obtained the nation’s top listing after top-ranked Juniata College (Pa.) and second-ranked Emory University (Ga.) suffered losses.

UW Oshkosh (14-0) received 572 points and 12 first-place votes in this week’s poll. The Titans, who have won 154 of their last 174 matches, have been ranked in the top 15 of the AVCA’s NCAA Division III poll for 48 consecutive weeks. UW Oshkosh was a fifth-place finisher in the NCAA Division III Championship a year ago.

Rounding out the top 10 teams in the weekly poll were second-ranked Juniata College, third-ranked Emory University, fourth-ranked Ohio Northern University and Washington University (Mo.), sixth-ranked University of St. Thomas (Minn.), seventh-ranked Carthage College (Wis.), eighth-ranked Hope College (Mich.), ninth-ranked Wittenberg University (Ohio) and 10th-ranked Calvin College (Mich.). Juniata College (11-1) collected six first-place votes in the poll and Emory University (10-2), Ohio Northern University (12-1) and Washington University (11-2) two each.

UW Oshkosh was among three WiAC teams ranked in the top 25, with the others being 12th-ranked UW-Whitewater and 16th-ranked UW-Eau Claire.

UW Oshkosh returns to action on Wednesday (Sept. 23) when it hosts UW-Whitewater (9-3) in a 7 p.m. national showdown in Kolf Sports Center. The Titans, who have 22 straight home matches, are unbeaten in two WIAC contests this season. UW-Whitewater, which has won 184 of its last 219 matches, has split its two WIAC events this year.

UW Oshkosh and UW-Whitewater have battled to five straight, five-set matches to establish one of the best rivalries in NCAA Division III women’s volleyball. The road team has won the last six meetings in the series.