Before the AVCA Division I Preseason Coaches Poll is announced on Tuesday, Aug. 13, it's time to look back at the 2018 NCAA women's volleyball season. (Editor's note: The new poll has been posted here. Full top 25 reactions, analysis here)
The Stanford Cardinal defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers in five sets to claim its eighth national championship and second in the last three years. Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer led Stanford with 19 kills and 10 digs.
Plummer, an AVCA First-Team All-American in 2018, will return for her senior season this fall, along with Jenna Gray, Morgan Hentz and Audriana Fitzmorris. Gray and Hentz were also named First-Team All-Americans.
In contrast, Nebraska won't have a single senior on the roster in 2019. But the Huskers will have home-court advantage when they host Stanford in a rematch of last year's final on September 18. It'll be an early non-conference test for two clubs that have each won two of the last four national championships.
Reminder!!!
— AVCA (@AVCAVolleyball) August 12, 2019
The #AVCA Division I Preseason Coaches Poll will be announced at 3pm ET tomorrow, Tuesday! We will first announce the top-10 at 2pm ET right here on Twitter!
Stanford and Nebraska finished first and second, respectively, in the final AVCA poll of 2018. Rounding out the top five were No. 3 Illinois, No. 4 BYU, and No. 5 Texas. The poll below was released on Dec. 17, 2018.
Most total times ranked
1. Nebraska and Stanford: 542
3. Southern California: 512
4. UCLA: 505
5. Hawai'i: 500
6. Penn State: 492
7. Texas: 484
8. Florida: 432
9. BYU: 399
10. Arizona: 325
Most times ranked No. 1
1. Nebraska: 99
2. Penn State: 95
3. Stanford: 73
4. UCLA: 56
5. Hawai'i: 48
6. Southern California: 47
7. Long Beach State: 27
8. Pacific: 18
9. Florida: 16
10. BYU: 15
Most timed ranked in the top 10
1. Nebraska: 486
2. Stanford: 481
3. Texas: 371
4. Hawai'i and Penn State: 366
6. UCLA: 340
7. Florida: 332
8. Southern California: 316
9. Washington: 210
10. Pacific: 189
