The UMSL Tritons are 26-0 and can clinch the outright GLVC regular season championship with a win this weekend. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Nora Nichols
Staff Writer
The University of Missouri-St. Louis women’s volleyball team moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 in the newest AVCA/Taraflex Division II Top 25 Coaches poll, which was released earlier this week.
UMSL, which is 26-0 overall and 11-0 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play, received 1,115 total points adjusted, up 40 from last week, and picked up four first-place votes. Wayne State, which has been ranked No. 1 most of the season, continued to hold onto the top spot with 1,171 total points and 43 first-place votes. Tampa, last week’s No. two, dropped to third with 1,039 points, followed by Concordia-St. Paul and West Texas A&M to complete the top five.
Three other GLVC teams were also ranked in this week’s poll. Lewis stayed at No. 13, Quincy dropped to No. 22, and Rockhurst moved up to No. 23.
The Tritons will conclude the 2023 regular season this weekend, with road matches at Drury and Southwest Baptist. UMSL will play Drury Friday evening at 6 p.m., and then close out the regular season against Southwest Baptist on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Week 11 – NCAA Division II Women’s Volleyball AVCA/TARAFLEX Top 25 Poll
| Rank | School (First-Place Votes Adjusted) | Total Points Adjusted | Record | Previous Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wayne State (NE) [43] | 1,171 | 26-1 | 1 |
| 2 | UMSL [4] | 1,115 | 26-0 | 3 |
| 3 | Tampa | 1,039 | 24-1 | 2 |
| 4 | Concordia-St. Paul | 1,036 | 23-2 | 4 |
| 5 | West Texas A&M | 1,009 | 24-2 | 5 |
| 6 | Southwest Minnesota State | 930 | 22-4 | 6 |
| 7 | Cal State San Bernardino | 825 | 21-3 | 7 |
| 8 | MSU Denver | 804 | 18-5 | 8 |
| 9 | St. Cloud State | 753 | 19-6 | 9 |
| 10 | Nebraska-Kearney | 716 | 25-3 | 10 |
| 11 | Colorado Mesa | 677 | 21-3 | 11 |
| 12 | Regis | 637 | 18-6 | 12 |
| 13 | Lewis | 576 | 21-6 | 13 |
| 14 | Minnesota Duluth | 503 | 16-8 | 14 |
| 15 | Chaminade | 492 | 26-3 | 15 |
| 16 | Central Oklahoma | 416 | 24-4 | 17 |
| 17 | West Florida | 369 | 21-7 | 16 |
| 18 | Seattle Pacific | 283 | 19-4 | 18 |
| 19 | Central Washington | 270 | 16-6 | 21 |
| 20 | Ferris State | 254 | 21-6 | 19 |
| 21 | Central Missouri | 250 | 19-7 | 23 |
| 22 | Quincy | 195 | 23-3 | 20 |
| 23 | Rockhurst | 153 | 21-5 | 24 |
| 24 | Point Loma | 146 | 19-4 | 25 |
| 25 | Cal Poly Pomona | 119 | 18-6 | 22 |
Others receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots: Wingate 91; Grand Valley State 80; Cal State L.A. 70; Angelo State 61; Gannon 48; Lander 41; Spring Hill 27; Eckerd 24; Clarion 13; Washburn 10; Anderson (S.C.) 4; Nova Southeastern 4; San Francisco State 4; Walsh 4; Daemen 2