LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 7) – For a third-straight year, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team finished the year ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
After entering the NCAA Tournament unranked, the Vulcans finished the season ranked No. 23 after appearing in their third-consecutive NCAA Quarterfinals. Under second-year head coach
Stephanie Burner, Cal U posted a 36-6 overall record en route to winning the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournaments.
Behind the play of All-American seniors
Renata da Silva (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Colegio Ateneu) and
Joanna Nist (Rockwood, Pa./Rockwood), the Vulcans ranked among the national leaders with an .857 winning percentage and .281 hitting percentage.
da Silva finished the season ranked 11th in NCAA Division II with 11.49 assists per set while Nist anchored the Cal U offense with 3.88 kills per set to 22nd in the country.
Last year, the Vulcans earned their highest final ranking in school history at No. 12 after leading the nation and setting a school record with 40 wins. The program's first-ever ranking in a final AVCA poll was in 2007 when it finished No. 23 nationally.
AMERICAN VOLLEYBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION (AVCA) TOP 25 POLL
| Rank |
School (First-Place Votes) |
Total Points |
2009 Record |
| 1. |
Concordia-St. Paul (32) |
800 |
37-0 |
| 2. |
Cal State San Bernardino |
765 |
33-2 |
| 3. |
West Texas A&M |
736 |
38-4 |
| 4. |
Tampa |
700 |
31-3 |
| 5. |
Central Missouri |
656 |
34-5 |
| 6. |
Indianapolis |
630 |
38-2 |
| 7. |
UC San Diego |
581 |
27-3 |
| 8. |
Washburn (Kansas)
|
565 |
33-5 |
| 9. |
Lewis (Ill.)
|
497 |
32-5 |
| 10. |
Saint Leo (Fla.)
|
481 |
30-4 |
| 11. |
Metro State (Col.)
|
446 |
26-8 |
| 12. |
Nebraska-Kearney |
430 |
33-3 |
| 13. |
Emporia State (Kansas)
|
399 |
29-6 |
| 14. |
Minnesota Duluth |
364 |
23-9 |
| 15. |
Cal State L.A. |
336 |
23-9 |
| 16. |
Southwest Minnesota State |
313 |
25-8 |
| 17. |
Minnesota State |
285 |
26-7 |
| 18. |
Wayne State (Neb.) |
267 |
29-8 |
| 19. |
Pittsburg State (Kansas)
|
239 |
25-11 |
| 20. |
Hawai'i-Hilo |
179 |
25-2 |
| 21. |
Sonoma State (Calif.)
|
158 |
23-8 |
| 22. |
Flagler (Fla.)
|
131 |
36-9 |
| 23. |
California (Pa.) |
107 |
35-6 |
| 24. |
Alaska-Anchorage |
71 |
23-8 |
| 25. |
Truman (Mo.)
|
55 |
24-13 |
12/07/09
