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 prime 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 comply with, as effectively:
Rank, Group, 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 through 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 staff’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, creator of Level! Wisconsin
Ed Sturdy (@VBMagazine) — VolleyballMag tremendous Tweeter
Voter feedback
Gillman: What an unimaginable week of volleyball! SMU propelled into my prime 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 displaying from Utah and Oregon this weekend. I can not anticipate December!!
Punzel: Flip-flop Nebraska and Pitt this week. Straightforward sufficient to do though it might be argued that Pitt has accomplished one thing Nebraska hasn’t — overwhelmed SMU. In any other case my prime 10 are the identical. Moved SMU up a spot to 11 and my new staff 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 one of the best staff 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 a fantastic weekend, beating their Texas opponents. It needs to be famous that TCU was plagued with sicknesses of their recreation towards Utah, however bounced again with an enormous win in a tricky setting 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 bounce 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 truth there’s nonetheless three losses on the resume retains them behind Kansas/Stanford. I’ve been larger than most on Utah for a couple of weeks and I might have had them in a prime 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 bounce all the best way in at 15. Additionally thought-about: Dayton, TCU, USC, Arkansas
Benton: I’ve been in Portugal all week and have solely been in a position to verify field scores. That mentioned, I’m confidently preserving my prime 5 the identical as final week. Sure, I do know Pitt misplaced to SMU in 5 units, however additionally they beat SMU shortly earlier than, which Nebraska by no means did. Oregon and Purdue shut out my prime 10, with SMU sliding in proper behind them. I’m preserving 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 transferring in. SMU nonetheless has a few dangerous losses however at this level, I feel they NEED to be rewarded for taking down the 2 prime groups within the nation.
Feinswog: I saved Pitt No. 1 and nonetheless really feel prefer it’s 1 and 1a for them and Nebraska. I recognize what SMU has accomplished however I’m not going ga-ga and transferring them larger than twelfth. I saved Creighton at No. 3. The Bluejays might 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 positive was tempting to place unbeaten South Dakota State there. Significantly, thought laborious about Utah at No. 16.
