HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University volleyball team received 48 total points in the AVCA Division II preseason Top 25 coaches poll, which was released Tuesday.
Concordia (Minn.) University-St. Paul is the top-rated team in the nation. The Golden Bears, 30-4 and NCAA Division II national runner-up last season, picked up nine of 35 first-place votes for 811 points.
UC-San Diego (25-5 in 2003) is ranked No. 2 in the preseason poll, followed by the University of Nebraska-Kearney (31-7 in 2003) at No. 3.
NKU’s 48 points were not enough to crack the Top 25, but the Norse’s total was 27th among teams in the poll. The AVCA, however, does not recognize any rankings below the Top 25 in the poll.
NKU posted a 26-12 record last season and advanced to the finals of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region. The Norse also captured the Great Lakes Valley Conference regular-season title with a 13-2 record.
NKU returns three starters and six letterwinners, including first team All-American Kristin Koralewski. A year ago, Koralewski recorded 580 kills, 487 digs and 26 double-doubles.
NKU begins the season Aug. 27-28 at the University of West Florida Tournament in Pensacola, Fla. The Norse will meet the University of Montevallo (Ala.), the University of West Alabama, Mesa (Colo.) State College and West Florida during the two-day event.
NKU will then hit the road for tournaments at the University of Findlay (Sept. 3-4) and Ashland University (Sept. 10-11) the following two weekends before playing its home opener Sept. 18 against Bellarmine University.
Defending GLVC Tournament champion University of Indianapolis will visit Regents Hall on Oct. 16 to meet NKU. The two teams will also play at Indianapolis on Oct. 29.
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Kristin Koralewski |