Volleyball team gets NCAA No. 10 ranking

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The St. Thomas volleyball team is ranked 10th in the nation in the NCAA Division III 2011 preseason polls which were released last week. The team was ranked No. 7 in the final 2010 poll.

The Tommies went 30-7 last year and lost to Juniata College, ranked No. 6 this season, in the NCAA quarterfinals.

St. Thomas raises up the regional championship trophy and celebrates earning the first trip to the national tournament in school history. (Jordan Osterman/TommieMedia)
St. Thomas raises up the regional championship trophy and celebrates earning the first trip to the national tournament in school history. (Jordan Osterman/TommieMedia)

Calvin College of Grand Rapids, Mich. tops the rankings, followed by Emory University in Atlanta. Calvin beat Emory in last season’s NCAA championship match to win its first-ever title.

Two other MIAC teams made the top 20: Concordia (24-7) is ranked No. 14, and St. Olaf (31-5) took the No. 16 slot.

St. Thomas beat top-seeded St. Olaf in the NCAA regional tournament.

The team starts its season on Sept. 2 at the St. Mary’s University Sugar Loaf Invite in Winona. The Tommies take on Gustavus in the season home-opener at 7 p.m. in Schonecker Arena.

Top 10 teams NCAA preseason poll

1. Calvin (32-4)
2. Emory (36-4)
3. Washington-St. Louis (35-4)
4. Christopher Newport (38-3)
5. Wittenberg (32-3)
6. Juniata (34-6)
7. Eastern (30-5)
8. Cal Lutheran (29-4)
9. Wisconsin-Platteville (33-4)
10. St. Thomas (30-7)