LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Southwest Minnesota State University volleyball team opens the 2017 season ranked No. 2 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Preseason Poll marking the program’s ninth consecutive season beginning the year ranked in the Top 10.

Fellow NSIC competitor and reigning National Champions, Concordia-St. Paul, received 1,149 points with 38 first place votes to earn a No. 1 ranking after finishing last year at No. 1 with a 35-2 record. SMSU received 1,125 total points with four first place votes and begin the year ranked in the Top five for the seventh consecutive season.

SMSU is one of seven NSIC schools ranked in the AVCA Top 25 with Winona State (987), Minnesota Duluth (937), and Augustana (709) also cracking the Top 10, ranking fifth, seventh and tenth respectively. Wayne State earned 602 total points and came in ranked No. 13 and No. 24 Northern State earned 122 total points.

The Mustangs have now been ranked in the Top 25 for 148 consecutive polls, dating back to Sept. 5, 2006, and have made it into the Top 10 for 52 consecutive polls.

SMSU was ranked in the AVCA’s Top Five for all 14 weekly polls that were released during the 2016 season finishing with an 11-6 record against the nation’s top 25 teams.

Southwest Minnesota State made its 13th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance last season after finishing 28-6 overall and 18-2 in the NSIC to split the regular season conference title with Concordia-St. Paul.

The Mustangs earned a No. 2 seed in the Central Region of the NCAA Tournament last season, advanced to the Central Region Championship and finished 2016 as the second ranked team in the country in the year’s final poll.

The Mustangs reported for fall camp on Monday as they prepare to open the season versus North Alabama on Sept. 1 in Pensacola, Fla., as a part of the West Florida Invitational.

Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications