The margins have been skinny this week within the VolleyballMag Tremendous 16 Media Ballot, particularly at No. 1, the place Pittsburgh acquired seven of the 12 first-place votes. The Panthers remained within the high spot over Nebraska, which acquired the opposite 5 first-place votes, by 4 factors.
SMU, which final week acquired swept by Pitt after which dealt the Panthers their first defeat, jumped 5 spots to No. 9.
As you have a look at the ballot, you’ll see how shut the rankings are, particularly at No. 9, the place SMU is one level forward of Wisconsin, and No. 11, the place Purdue is one level forward of Oregon. Voter feedback observe, as effectively:
Rank, Workforce, Factors, First-Place Votes, Earlier rating
1. Pittsburgh (187 factors, 7 first-place votes, 1)
2. Nebraska (183, 5 first-place votes, 2)
3. Penn State (166, 3)
4. Louisville (158, 4)
5. Stanford (137, 6)
6. Creighton (133, 5)
7. Texas (122, 7)
8. Kansas (98, 8)
9. SMU (88, 14)
10. Wisconsin (87,10 )
11. Purdue (71, 9)
12. Oregon (70, 11)
13. Arizona State (46, 12)
14. Minnesota (35, 14)
15. USC (18, 16)
16. Kentucky (16, 12)
Additionally receiving votes: Utah, TCU, Florida State, Dayton, Auburn
Dropped out: None
The voters
Lincoln Arneal (@Lincoln_VB) — Nebraska beat author for Huskers Illustrated and co-host of the Volleyball State podcast
Abby Benton (@numberonevolleyball) — performed at DII Catawba and DIII William Peace and has 54K Instagram followers and greater than 116K on TikTok
Michella Chester (@michellachester) — THE volleyball voice of NCAA.com
Shelby Coppedge (@shelbycoppedge) — ESPN analyst, former Texas A&M-Corpus Christi DS
Emily Ehman @emilyehman) — Huge Ten Community, ESPN, Volleyball World TV analyst; former Northwestern DS
Lee Feinswog (@VBMagazine) — editor of VolleyballMag
Daniel Gillman (@DanielGillman/@SixRotations) — host of Six Rotations for the AVCA, nationwide play-by-play for a number of sports activities
Sam Gore (@sambgore) — veteran broadcaster/studio host who does ESPN volleyball play-by-play, host of the Fifth Set throughout the NCAA Match
Mick Haley (@Michaelhaley6) — ESPN analyst, former national-championship coach at Texas and USC and 2000 USA Olympic coach
Amy Pauly (@acpauly10) — Head coach of the Orlando Valkyries of the Professional Volleyball Federation and the group’s vice-president of volleyball operations; former assistant coach at USC, head coach at UAB; libero at Alabama
Dennis Punzel (@DennisPunzel) — Wisconsin beat author for the Wisconsin State Journal, writer of Level! Wisconsin
Ed Sturdy (@VBMagazine) — VolleyballMag tremendous Tweeter
Voter feedback
Gillman: What an unimaginable week of volleyball! SMU propelled into my high 5 and Penn State’s gritty Sunday win vs. Indiana confirmed me a ton as effectively. In the meantime we had a memorable Purdue-Nebraska match and big-time exhibiting from Utah and Oregon this weekend. I can’t anticipate December!!
Punzel: Flip-flop Nebraska and Pitt this week. Straightforward sufficient to do though it may very well be argued that Pitt has finished one thing Nebraska hasn’t — crushed SMU. In any other case my high 10 are the identical. Moved SMU up a spot to 11 and my new group is Utah at 15, with Texas A&M dropping out.
Pauly: Not an excessive amount of motion in my rankings this week. Even with Pitt’s loss to SMU I nonetheless really feel they’re the perfect group within the nation. I did transfer SMU up fairly a couple of spots for his or her excellent efficiency. Getting into the rankings this week is Utah, which had an excellent weekend, beating their Texas opponents. It must be famous that TCU was plagued with sicknesses of their sport towards Utah, however bounced again with an enormous win in a tricky atmosphere at BYU.
Arneal: Probably the most difficult a part of this week’s ballot was Pitt vs Nebraska for No. 1. The controversy started after the Panthers dropped their first match of the season. I moved the Huskers to the highest line this week, nevertheless it’s by the slimmest of margins. Pitt may have an opportunity to climb again to No. 1, however Nebraska will get the nod with its superior variety of top-25 wins. SMU joins the highest 10 after knocking off Pitt. Purdue and Kentucky every dipped a couple of spots after losses. Utah cracks my rankings after sweeps over TCU and Baylor.
Ehman: Large leap for SMU for me from 15 to eight as a result of they deserve it after taking down No. 1 and No. 2.
Ed: Pitt completely nonetheless has an excellent case to remain at No. 1, however I gave Nebraska the sting by the slimmest of margins. 3-9 stays secure for me. No. 8 Texas is closing the hole in comparison with the groups above them with sturdy performances, however the reality there’s nonetheless three losses on the resume retains them behind Kansas/Stanford. I’ve been increased than most on Utah for a couple of weeks and I’d have had them in a high 25 poll for a pair weeks at this level, however even I used to be positively stunned by how spectacular they have been vs. TCU and Baylor, even when TCU was shorthanded, so that they leap all the way in which in at 15. Additionally thought of: Dayton, TCU, USC, Arkansas
Benton: I’ve been in Portugal all week and have solely been in a position to verify field scores. That stated, I’m confidently conserving my high 5 the identical as final week. Sure, I do know Pitt misplaced to SMU in 5 units, however in addition they beat SMU shortly earlier than, which Nebraska by no means did. Oregon and Purdue shut out my high 10, with SMU sliding in proper behind them. I’m conserving USC at quantity 16, however we would wish to control Utah for subsequent week.
Michella: Actually struggled with who to maneuver OUT of the highest 10 with SMU shifting in. SMU nonetheless has a few dangerous losses however at this level, I believe they NEED to be rewarded for taking down the 2 high groups within the nation.
Feinswog: I stored Pitt No. 1 and nonetheless really feel prefer it’s 1 and 1a for them and Nebraska. I recognize what SMU has finished however I’m not going ga-ga and shifting them increased than twelfth. I stored Creighton at No. 3. The Bluejays will not be challenged within the Huge East, however they’re 15-2 with solely five-set losses to Nebraska and Louisville with wins over USC, Purdue and Kansas. Dayton acquired my sixteenth spot though it certain was tempting to place unbeaten South Dakota State there. Significantly, thought onerous about Utah at No. 16.
