UK volleyball earns first pre-season ranking in 16 years

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Coaches poll
American Volleyball Coaches Association Division I pre-season poll
(First-place votes in parentheses)
1. Penn State (52)
2. Texas (6)
3. Nebraska
4. Washington (2)
5. Stanford
6. California
7. Hawaii
8. Florida
9. UCLA
10. Illinois
11. Minnesota
12. Southern California
13. Iowa State
14. Oregon
15. San Diego
16. Michigan
17. Utah
18. Wichita State
19. Purdue
20. Saint Louis
21. Kentucky
22. Kansas State
23. Long Beach State
24. Colorado State
25. Santa Clara
Others receiving votes and appearing on two or more ballots: Pepperdine, Duke, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Western Michigan, New Mexico State, Wright State, St. Mary's (Calif.), UC Irvine, Tulane, Ohio, LSU, Arizona, Cal Poly, Tennessee, Louisville, Michigan State, San Francisco, Baylor, Missouri State, Oklahoma, Middle Tennessee, Rice.

The University of Kentucky volleyball team received its first pre-season ranking in 16 years Wednesday when the Wildcats came in at No. 21 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division I coaches' poll.

Kentucky, which received 288 votes in the pre-season poll, finished last season ranked No. 22.

Five starters and the starting libero return from Coach Craig Skinner's 26-6 team of a year ago, which finished second in the Southeastern Conference and made a school-record fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

UK's pre-season ranking is just its fourth ever. Kentucky was rated No. 18 in 1993, No. 23 in 1992 and No. 13 in 1983.

Three of Kentucky's 2009 opponents also appeared in the poll: No. 8 Florida, No. 19 Purdue and No. 22 Kansas State.

Reigning NCAA champion Penn State begins the season at the top of the rankings followed by Final Four participants Texas and Nebraska.

Kentucky opens its season Aug. 28-29 by hosting the Kentucky Classic in Memorial Coliseum.

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