INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Anderson volleyball team is ranked fourth in the in the latest NCAA Southeast Region rankings of the season, as released Wednesday afternoon.
Wingate (25-2, 16-1 SAC), the preseason favorite to win the South Atlantic Conference Championship, tops the poll. The Bulldogs dropped out of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 poll earlier this week after having its 22-game win streak snapped by the Trojans at the Abney Athletic Center last Friday night. The Bulldogs responded by sweeping Newberry the following afternoon.
The Bulldogs have won 23 of their last 24 outings, with their only other loss coming at the hands of No. 4 Tampa. Wingate has clinched the SAC Piedmont Division's top seed for next week's SAC Championship.
Augusta, the defending Southeast Region Champion, is second in the poll. The Lady Jags are 22-6 overall and is tops in the Peach Belt Conference, while owning a 10-3 record in the six-team PBC. Augusta had its nine-game win streak snapped by Lander, last Monday night, but have still won 13 of their last 15 decisions. Landing at number three in the rankings, Carson-Newman (24-4, 15-2 SAC), owns the top seed in the SAC's Mountain Division and has won 14 of its last 16 outings and four straight after dropping a four-set decision at home to defending Southeast Region Champion, Augusta, on Oct. 21.
Coming in at number four, Anderson (20-5, 13-4 SAC) had its nine-game win streak halted with a five-set loss at Catawba, Tuesday night, but has won 11 of its last 13 decisions, including an upset win over then-20th-ranked Wingate last Friday night. The Trojans have clinched at least the No. 3 seed in the SAC's Piedmont Division. Lander owns a 20-8 overall record and is 11-4 in the PBC and claimed the fifth slot in the NCAA rankings. The Bearcats are second in the Peach Belt standings behind Augusta, but is making a late push behind a five-match win streak after being swept in back-to-back outings by Anderson and Carson-Newman.
Flagler is tabbed sixth in the rankings, while standing third in the Peach Belt Conference with a 14-8 overall record and an 8-5 mark in PBC action. The Saints have won five of their last seven decisions. Lenoir-Rhyne, which was not listed as a "team under consideration" in last week's initial rankings, captured the seventh spot. The Bears (16-8, 11-5 SAC) have clinched at least the No. 3 seed in the SAC's Piedmont Division and have won two straight (both sweeps) and four of their last five after opening the month of October by losing three straight outings.
Emmanuel (23-7, 17-1 CC) is atop the Conference Carolinas' West Division standings and grabbed the No. 8 slot. The Lions have won 21 of their last 22 matches, including 13 straight, with its only league setback coming in September at North Greenville.
USC Aiken (15-12, 4-9 PBC) and UNC Pembroke (19-13, 15-2 CC) rounded out the 10-team poll.
Mars Hill (17-8, 12-5 SAC), which was mentioned last week, suffered a five-set home loss to Newberry, Tuesday night, and was not among the ten teams listed, Wednesday afternoon. The Lions have dropped six of its last nine outings, but is the SAC Mountain Division's No. 2 seed and will play host to either Lenoir-Rhyne or Anderson in Monday night's SAC Tournament Quarterfinals.
Eight teams from each of the eight regions will advance to the NCAA Division II tournament. In the Southeast Region, the tournament champions from the South Atlantic Conference, Peach Belt, and Conference Carolinas will receive an automatic bid, with five more at-large selections.
The rankings are the official poll utilized by the NCAA in the championship selection process and will continue to be released each week by the NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Committee up to the NCAA Championship selections.
The three regional rankings are scheduled to be released weekly on Wednesdays through November 9, with the NCAA D-II Tournament selections scheduled to be unveiled on Sunday night, Nov. 13, at 10 p.m. on www.ncaa.com.
The Trojans will close out the regular-season tonight at Lenoir-Rhyne, with first-serve set for 6 p.m.
(In Numerical Order) (In-Region Only) (Overall Record)
1. Wingate 24-2 25-2
2. Augusta 21-5 22-5
3. Carson-Newman 23-4 23-4
4. Anderson 17-3 20-4
5. Lander 18-8 19-8
6. Flagler 12-7 14-8
7. Lenoir-Rhyne 15-8 16-8
8. Emmanuel 20-3 22-7
9. USC Aiken 15-12 15-12
10. UNC Pembroke 17-9 18-13
