The UMSL Tritons went 34-2, won the GLVC regular season and NCAA Midwest Regional championships last season. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
The University of Missouri-St. Louis women’s volleyball team was ranked No. 6 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason Top 25 poll, which was released on Friday.
The Tritons finished last season ranked No. 5 and has been ranked in the top 10 in 13 consecutive polls.
UMSL is coming off a tremendous 2023 season, in which the Tritons went 34-2, won the Great Lakes Valley Conference regular title, the NCAA Midwest Regional championship, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament national semifinals.
The defending national champions, Cal State-LA — the team which knocked UMSL out of the NCAA Final Four last year — was ranked No. 1 in the AVCA preseason poll. The Golden Eagles received 33 first-place votes and finished the poll with 1,113 total points.
The University of Tampa was No. 2. It had seven first-place votes and 1,078 points. West Texas A&M and Wayne State both had two first-place votes and came in third and fourth, respectively. Concordia-St.Paul had three first-place votes and finished with 955 points to take spot No. 5.
UMSL came in sixth with 870 points, followed by MSU-Denver, Cal State San Bernardino, Nebraska-Kearney, and St. Cloud State to finish out the top 10.
AVCA NCAA Division II Preseason Women’s Volleyball Poll
| Rank | School (First-Place Votes Adjusted) | Total Points Adjusted | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Cal State LA (33) | 1,113 | 0-0 |
| 2. | Tampa (7) | 1,078 | 0-0 |
| 3. | West Texas A&M (2) | 1,034 | 0-0 |
| 4. | Wayne State [NE] (2) | 1,003 | 0-0 |
| 5. | Concordia-St. Paul (3) | 955 | 0-0 |
| 6. | UMSL | 870 | 0-0 |
| 7. | MSU Denver | 848 | 0-0 |
| 8. | Cal State San Bernardino | 784 | 0-0 |
| 9. | Nebraska-Kearney | 746 | 0-0 |
| 10. | St. Cloud State | 702 | 0-0 |
| 11. | Southwest Minnesota State | 673 | 0-0 |
| 12. | Chaminade | 556 | 0-0 |
| 13. | Regis | 543 | 0-0 |
| 14. | Lewis | 498 | 0-0 |
| 15. | Central Missouri | 492 | 0-0 |
| 16. | Minnesota Duluth | 443 | 0-0 |
| 17. | Colorado Mesa | 432 | 0-0 |
| 18. | Ferris State | 392 | 0-0 |
| 19. | Seattle Pacific | 323 | 0-0 |
| 20. | West Florida | 303 | 0-0 |
| 21. | Cal Poly Pomona | 229 | 0-0 |
| 22. | Central Washington | 203 | 0-0 |
| 23. | Central Oklahoma | 188 | 0-0 |
| 24. | Grand Valley State | 114 | 0-0 |
| 25. | Lynn | 100 | 0-0 |
Others receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots: Clarion 68; Dallas Baptist 58; Nova Southeastern 49; Angelo State 46; Wayne State (Mich.) 44; Quincy 38; Washburn 31; Gannon 29; Wingate 29; NW Missouri State 27; Bentley 25; Barry 23; Point Loma 23; Anderson (S.C.) 21; Augusta 17; Oklahoma Baptist 15; Adelphi 14; Rockhurst 14; Western Washington 8; Hillsdale 7; Wheeling 7; San Francisco State 3; Winona State 3.
This year’s Tritons will bring back eight players from last season, including first-team All-American and GLVC Player of the Year, junior setter Caitlin Bishop. Fellow junior and standout middle blocker Hannah Copeland will also return.
The new season will begin for UMSL on September 6, when it travels to Jackson, Tenn., to play in the Union University Volleyball Classic. The Tritons will play four matches that Friday and Saturday.
UMSL’s first home contest will come on September 20, when the Tritons will host McKendree at the Mark Twain Building.
2024 UMSL TRITONS WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | Site | Opponent | Location | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 6, 2024 (Friday) | 12 p.m. | Neutral | Carson-Newman | Jackson, Tenn. / Fred DeLay Gymnasium | Union Volleyball Classic |
| September 6, 2024 (Friday) | 6 p.m. | Away | Union | Jackson, Tenn. / Fred DeLay Gymnasium | Union Volleyball Classic |
| September 7, 2024 (Saturday) | 10 a.m. | Neutral | Limestone | Jackson, Tenn. / Fred DeLay Gymnasium | Union Volleyball Classic |
| September 7, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 p.m. | Neutral | Harding | Jackson, Tenn. / Fred DeLay Gymnasium | Union Volleyball Classic |
| September 13, 2024 (Friday) | 11 a.m. (CDT) | Neutral | West Texas A&M | Denver, Colo. / Regis Field House | Colorado Premiere Challenge |
| September 13, 2024 (Friday) | 7 p.m. (CDT) | Away | Regis | Denver, Colo. / Regis Field House | Colorado Premiere Challenge |
| September 14, 2024 (Saturday) | TBD | Neutral | TBD | Denver, Colo. | Colorado Premiere Challenge |
| September 14, 2024 (Saturday) | TBD | Neutral | TBD | Denver, Colo. | Colorado Premiere Challenge |
| September 20, 2024 (Friday) | 6 p.m. | Home | McKendree | Mark Twain Building | |
| September 21, 2024 (Saturday) | 4 p.m. | Home | Maryville | Mark Twain Building | |
| September 27, 2024 (Friday) | 6 p.m. | Away | Rockhurst | Kansas City, Mo. / Mason-Halpin Gymnsaium | |
| September 28, 2024 (Saturday) | 4 p.m. | Away | William Jewell | Liberty, Mo. / Mabee Center | |
| October 5, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | McKendree | Lebanon, Ill. / Melvin Price Convocation Center | |
| October 11, 2024 (Friday) | 6 p.m. | Home | Lewis | Mark Twain Building | |
| October 12, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Indianapolis | Mark Twain Building | |
| October 18, 2024 (Friday) | TBD | Neutral | Midwest Region Crossover | Hammond, Ind. / Hammond Sportsplex | MIDWEST REGIONAL VOLLEYBALL CROSSOVER |
| October 19, 2024 (Saturday) | TBD | Neutral | Midwest Region Crossover | Hammond, Ind. / Hammond Sportsplex | MIDWEST REGIONAL VOLLEYBALL CROSSOVER |
| October 25, 2024 (Friday) | 6 p.m. | Away | Maryville | Chesterfield, Mo. / Moloney Arena | |
| October 26, 2024 (Saturday) | 5 p.m. | Away | Missouri S&T | Rolla, Mo. / Gibson Arena | |
| November 1, 2024 (Friday) | 6 p.m. | Home | Truman State | Mark Twain Building | |
| November 2, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Upper Iowa | Mark Twain Building | |
| November 8, 2024 (Friday) | 6 p.m. | Away | Quincy | Quincy, Ill. / Pepsi Arena | |
| November 9, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Illinois Springfield | Springfield, Ill. / TRAC | |
| November 15, 2024 (Friday) | 6 p.m. | Home | Southwest Baptist | Mark Twain Building | |
| November 16, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Drury | Mark Twain Building | |
| November 22, 2024 (Friday) | TBD | Neutral | GLVC Tournament | TBD | GLVC Tournament |
| December 5, 2024 (Thursday) | TBD | Neutral | NCAA Midwest Regional | TBD | NCAA Midwest Regional |
| December 12, 2024 (Thursday) | TBD | Neutral | NCAA Championships | Sioux Falls, S.D. / Sanford Pentagon | NCAA Championships |