(LEXINGTON, Ky.)--Capital University's volleyball team is ranked No. 16 in the nation in the CSTV/American Volleyball Coaches Association Preseason Top 25 poll.
The Crusaders return 11 letterwinners and all but one starter from a 26-10 team that made its second-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and finished ranked No. 24 in the nation. Headlining the returning players is senior Jessie Hampson (Lancaster/Lancaster), a two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference selection and the 2005 OAC Player of the Year and junior Jackie Helm (Lancaster/Fisher Catholic), the 2004 OAC Freshman of the Year.
Capital starts the 2007 season on August 31 hosting the Capital Invitational at The Capital Center.
CSTV/AVCA Division III Coaches Top 25 Poll
2007 PRESEASON POLL: August 21, 2007 Rank | School (First-Place Votes) | Total Points | 2006 Record | 2006 Final Rank |
1 | Juniata (Pa.) (14) | 572 | 41-1 | 1 |
2 | Wittenberg (6) | 566 | 35-8 | 4 |
3 | Wisconsin-Whitewater (2) | 542 | 35-7 | 3 |
4 | Washington (Mo.) (1) | 531 | 38-2 | 2 |
5 | Emory (Ga.) (1) | 517 | 28-11 | 10 |
6 | La Verne (Calif.) | 468 | 27-3 | 8 |
7 | Trinity (Texas) | 446 | 34-7 | 5 |
8 | Carthage (Wis.) | 412 | 29-5 | 9 |
9 | Wisconsin-Oshkosh | 382 | 32-6 | 14 |
10 | Calvin (Mich.) | 356 | 34-2 | 13 |
11 | St. Thomas (Minn.) | 348 | 29-7 | 11 |
12 | Concordia (Minn.) | 322 | 25-2 | 7 |
13 | Rhodes (Tenn.) | 256 | 29-12 | 16 |
14 | Austin (Texas) | 234 | 34-8 | 17 |
15 | Ohio Northern | 225 | 27-9 | 23 |
16 | Capital | 203 | 26-10 | 24 |
17 | Redlands (Calif.) | 193 | 22-7 | 18 |
18 | Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 185 | 30-4 | 6 |
19 | Southwestern (Texas) | 159 | 30-9 | 19 |
20 | NYU | 130 | 33-7 | 22 |
21 | Cal Lutheran | 113 | 18-6 | 12 |
22 | Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) | 105 | 20-7 | NR |
23 | Stevens (N.J.) | 100 | 33-6 | 21 |
24 | Linfield (Ore.) | 74 | 22-3 | 20 |
25 | Coast Guard (N.Y.) | 49 | 23-3 | 25 |
Others Receiving Votes and listed on two or more ballots: Hiram 39; Puget Sound 32; St. Benedict (Minn.) 31; MIT 29; Central (Iowa) 25; Wisconsin-Stevens Point 25; Colorado College 22; Wisconsin-Platteville 21; Endicott 10; Nazareth 10; Millikin 8; Gustavus Adolphus 7; Illinois Wesleyan 6; SUNY Cortland 6; Washington & Lee 6; Haverford 5; Mount Union 2.