Follow
BYU will open the season No. 1 in the men’s volleyball national media poll.
The Cougars received six of 10 first-place votes to be ranked No. 1 in the newest Volleyball Magazine Men’s Division I-II Top 10 Poll that was released Wednesday morning.
BYU has six starters returning for the 2012 season, including Off the Block Preseason All-American outside attackers Taylor Sander and Robb Stowell. The team ended the 2011 regular season No. 2 in the national rankings but was upset at home in the MPSF Tournament quarterfinals and missed the Final Four.
UC Irvine was No. 2 in the preseason media poll. The Anteaters received 89 votes — seven fewer than the Cougars — including three first-place votes.
Stanford, which was ranked No. 4 with 71 votes, was the only other team to receive a first-place vote. In addition, UCLA was ranked No. 3 and Penn State was ranked No. 5 to round-out the top five.
The NCAA men’s volleyball season will begin Wednesday as No. 2 UC Irvine plays host to Cal Baptist.
Volleyball Magazine Men’s Division I-II Top 10 Poll
1. BYU — 96 (6) points
2. UC Irvine — 89 (3) points
3. UCLA — 73 points
4. Stanford — 71 (1) points
5. Penn State — 61 points
6. USC — 47 points
7. Ohio State — 36 points
8. Long Beach State — 33 points
9. Loyola — 20 points
10. Pepperdine — 12 points
Others receiving votes: Cal State Northridge, Hawai’i, Lewis