Another season, another top 10 ranking for Penn State women’s volleyball.
The Nittany Lions are ranked No. 8 in the 2019 AVCA Division I preseason coaches’ poll released this week.
Penn State is joined by fellow Big Ten representatives Nebraska (No. 2), Minnesota (No. 3), Wisconsin (No. 5), and Illinois (No. 6) in the top 10. Reigning national champion Stanford, which beat Penn State in the Elite Eight of last year’s NCAA tournament, is the top team in the country.
This preseason ranking should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Penn State’s program. Led by veteran starters such as libero Kendall White, the Nittany Lions posted a 26-8 record in 2018 and have qualified for the NCAA tournament in every season since 1981.
Russ Rose’s squad will open the 2019 season against Hofstra during the Penn State Classic on Friday, Aug. 30. The Nittany Lions will then face Holy Cross and Wichita State on Saturday, Aug. 31, as part of the event before heading to Iowa State for a pair of matches against the Cyclones and LSU on Sept. 6 and 7, respectively.
