For the first time since 2001, the Northern Illinois women’s volleyball team received votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Poll, as voted on by the nation’s coaches.
With six votes, the Huskies rank 37th in the country in the latest edition of the poll, which was released Monday.
“It’s great for NIU volleyball to be recognized nationally like this,” said NIU head coach Ray Gooden.
“It’s nice to receive votes for the top 25 but we want to be in the top 25. That’s one of the byproducts of our goal, which is to get to the NCAA Tournament. In order to be a tournament team, you have to have your name out there and have the respect of national opponents. This is a nice step in that direction for the Huskie volleyball program. ”
Riding a four-match winning streak, NIU (6-2) is the only Mid-American Conference school in the poll and ranks just behind local rival Northwestern (seven votes). The Huskies’ only two losses this season have come against Northern Iowa and Iowa State, who rank 15th and 17th, respectively, in the current AVCA poll.
The Huskies return to action at 7 p.m. today at Milwaukee with a matchup against the Milwaukee Panthers (5-1).
For more information on NIU volleyball and Huskie athletics, visit www.niuhuskies.com.
