MARSHALL, Texas – In the second poll of the year for the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), East Texas Baptist University jumped into the No. 25 spot. ETBU was last ranked during the COVID-19 spring season in 2021, and their last full-season ranking was in 2002.
ETBU started the season 2-1 in the Trinity University Fall Classic, taking wins over the College of Saint Benedict and Texas Lutheran. They pushed now No. 5 Trinity to five sets, winning sets three and four before falling in set five. They will host Huntingdon (Ala.), St. Thomas Texas, Willamette (Ore.), and Hendrix College (Ark.) this weekend in the Tiger Invite.
In the AVCA preseason poll, ETBU was just outside the top 25 at 26th with 83 points. This week, they earned 167 points, moving to 25th. They are the only American Southwest Conference program ranked but Mary Hardin-Baylor is receiving votes. Teams that they have faced or will face in the rankings are no. 5 Trinity University and no. 9 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Southwestern University is also receiving votes.
The last time ETBU was ranked in a regular season poll came in 2002 for four straight weeks. They reached as high as 23rd in week seven and broke into the poll in week six at 25th. During the COVID-19 spring 2021 season, when not all teams were playing, and there wasn't a post-season, they received three different rankings. They were 21st in week one, 12th in week two, and 19th in the week three poll before dropping out.
ETBU's home opener will be at 9:00 a.m. on Friday vs. Huntingdon.
2021 Spring Rankings
Wk 1: 21st; Wk2: 12th; Wk 3: 19th
2002 Rankings
Wk 6: 25; Wk 7: 23; Wk 8 24; Wk 9: 24
2024 Week 1 Rankings
Sept. 3 - AVCA/TARAFLEX Division III WVB Poll
|
Rank
|
School (First-Place Votes Adjusted)
|
Total Points Adjusted
|
Record
|
Previous Week
|
|
1
|
Juniata (85)
|
2,149
|
3-0
|
1
|
|
2
|
Hope (1)
|
2,064
|
3-0
|
2
|
|
3
|
NYU
|
1,863
|
3-0
|
6
|
|
4
|
Johns Hopkins
|
1,809
|
2-1
|
4
|
|
5
|
Trinty [TX]
|
1,744
|
3-0
|
8
|
|
6
|
Emory
|
1,601
|
3-0
|
9
|
|
7
|
Wisconsin-Whitewater
|
1,575
|
4-0
|
10
|
|
8
|
Wisconsin-Oshkosh
|
1,533
|
3-1
|
5
|
|
9
|
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
|
1,425
|
2-1
|
3
|
|
10
|
Gustavus Adophus
|
1,242
|
3-1
|
16
|
|
11
|
La Verne
|
1,205
|
3-0
|
15
|
|
12
|
Northwestern [MN]
|
1,158
|
1-2
|
7
|
|
13
|
MIT
|
1,110
|
3-0
|
13
|
|
14
|
Wesleyan [CT]
|
903
|
0-0
|
14
|
|
15
|
North Park
|
809
|
4-0
|
20
|
|
16
|
Washington-St. Louis
|
755
|
1-2
|
17
|
|
17
|
Millikin
|
633
|
3-1
|
NR
|
|
18
|
Calvin
|
600
|
2-1
|
18
|
|
19
|
Transylvania
|
504
|
0-4
|
11
|
|
20
|
Berry
|
464
|
0-2
|
12
|
|
21
|
Ithaca
|
366
|
2-1
|
19
|
|
22
|
Cornell [IA]
|
287
|
2-1
|
23
|
|
23
|
Covenant
|
243
|
3-0
|
25
|
|
24
|
Mary Washington
|
215
|
3-1
|
22
|
|
25
|
East Texas Baptist
|
167
|
3-1
|
NR
|
Others receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots: Otterbein 134; Eastern 132; Southwestern (Texas) 131; Stevens 131; Centre 129; Washington & Lee 114; Marietta 94; Case Western 81; Wisconsin-Stevens Point 75; Mount St Joseph 57; Wisconsin-Platteville 57; Carthage 51; Salisbury 46; Mary Hardin-Baylor 43; Coe 42; Babson 38; Virginia Wesleyan 35; Chicago 22; Tufts 22; SUNY Cortland 18; Gettysburg 16; Whitworth 13; Aurora 9; Colorado College 7; Springfield 2
6 teams mentioned on only one ballot for a total of 26 combined points
Dropped Out: Wisconsin-Stevens Point [21], Mount St. Joseph [24]
