MARSHALL, Texas—Achieving its highest ranking in program history, East Texas Baptist University moved up three spots in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) NCAA Division III poll to No. 2 in the nation. They received 2020 votes, just 108 spots behind La Verne, who received the No. 1 spot with 2,128 votes. This is the 18th week in a row that ETBU has been ranked, and the ninth time it has been in the top 10.
Before this milestone, the Tigers' highest ranking was no. 5 achieved just one week ago. Before this season, the highest any ETBU Volleyball program reached was eight. ETBU started the season ranked 14
th in the preseason and moved into the top 10 in week two at No. 10. Last year, they were in the top 10 for six weeks.
Two teams ETBU has played continue to be in the top 25: No. 10 Wisconsin-Eau Claire and No. 12 Trinity University. Whitworth and the University of Northwestern are both receiving votes. The volleyball program is the third ETBU women's athletic program to reach the No. 2 ranking in the nation, as women's basketball and softball have. Softball is the only ETBU women's program to achieve the No. 1 national ranking during a season.
ETBU is now 13-0 for the first time in program history. They opened ASC play last Friday against UMHB, winning in three sets. They will head to Abilene on Friday to face Hardin-Simmons and then to Brownwood to face Howard Payne on Saturday.
Sept. 23 AVCA/TARAFLEX Division III WVB Poll
|
Rank
|
School (First-Place Votes Adjusted)
|
Total Points Adjusted
|
Record
|
Previous Week
|
|
1
|
La Verne [74]
|
2,128
|
9-0
|
2
|
|
2
|
East Texas Baptist [4]
|
2,020
|
13-0
|
5
|
|
3
|
Wisconsin-Oshkosh
|
1,788
|
13-2
|
3
|
|
4
|
Wisconsin-Whitewater [5]
|
1,708
|
11-2
|
1
|
|
5
|
Washington-St. Louis
|
1,677
|
10-1
|
7
|
|
6
|
Johns Hopkins [1]
|
1,645
|
10-2
|
9
|
|
7
|
Illinois Wesleyan [1]
|
1,585
|
11-0
|
10
|
|
8
|
Juniata
|
1,554
|
10-2
|
4
|
|
9
|
Emory
|
1,446
|
8-2
|
8
|
|
10
|
Wisconsin-Eau Claire
|
1,407
|
12-1
|
14
|
|
11
|
Washington & Lee
|
1,199
|
11-1
|
6
|
|
12
|
Trinity (Texas)
|
1,045
|
9-3
|
16
|
|
13
|
Colby
|
1,006
|
10-1
|
13
|
|
14
|
Marietta
|
899
|
9-2
|
11
|
|
15
|
Berry
|
867
|
10-2
|
15
|
|
16
|
MIT
|
836
|
8-3
|
12
|
|
17
|
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
|
764
|
6-3
|
17
|
|
18
|
Hope [1]
|
720
|
9-4
|
18
|
|
19
|
Ithaca
|
640
|
8-3
|
20
|
|
20
|
Otterbein
|
571
|
11-1
|
21
|
|
21
|
Gustavus Adolphus
|
482
|
12-2
|
24
|
|
22
|
Wesleyan (Conn.)
|
417
|
8-0
|
RV
|
|
23
|
Virginia Wesleyan
|
363
|
14-0
|
23
|
|
24
|
Dubuque
|
314
|
14-2
|
19
|
|
T-25
|
Carnegie-Mellon
|
156
|
10-4
|
22
|
|
T-25
|
Carthage
|
156
|
9-1
|
RV
|
Others receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots: Lynchburg 116; Hobart and William Smith Colleges 58; Williams 55; Southwestern (Texas) 52; Wisconsin-Platteville 52; Christopher Newport 33; NYU 28; Coe 26; Franklin & Marshall 21; Tufts 17; St Olaf 13; Transylvania 13; Calvin 11; Middlebury 9; St John Fisher 7; Whitworth 7; North Park 6; Edgewood 5; Northwestern (Minn.) 4
