The Nebraska volleyball team was ranked No. 1 in the preseason AVCA Coaches Poll released on Monday.
The Huskers collected 1,538 points in the poll and came in ahead of No. 2 Texas (1,528), No. 3 Wisconsin (1,439), No. 4 Louisville (1,317) and No. 5 Minnesota (1,251). Nebraska got 24 first-place votes, while Texas had the most at 27. Wisconsin received 12 and Louisville had one.
It marks Nebraska’s 101st week all-time at No. 1 in the AVCA Coaches Poll, the most of any program in the nation. The last time the Huskers were ranked No. 1 to start a season was prior to the 2016 season. Nebraska was last ranked No. 1 in the AVCA Poll on Sept. 16, 2019.
Nebraska has now been ranked in all 572 AVCA Polls all-time and has been ranked in the top 10 a total of 516 times. Both those marks lead the nation. It marks the eighth straight year that Nebraska has been a preseason top-five pick.
The Huskers went 26-8 last season and made it to the NCAA Championship match, where they fell 3-2 to Wisconsin. NU ended the year at No. 2 in the poll and returns five starters, including 2021 AVCA All-Americans Madi Kubik and Lexi Rodriguez. Transfer middle blocker Kaitlyn Hord also joined the fold after three AVCA All-America accolades in four years at Penn State.
NU opens the 2022 season this Saturday with the Red-White Scrimmage at 6 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Fan Day is set for 10 a.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.