Poll out: Wahine No. 11
Was writing that I might miss it to go to a funeral.
Here’s the link:
http://www.avca.org/divisions/division-one-women/poll-8=12=13di/
What is being posted on our website
The Hawaii women’s volleyball team is starting off the season in the same place it ended in 2012: ranked No. 11 in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25.
The Rainbow Wahine (27-3) received 825 points and are the only Big West Conference team in the poll.
Defending national champion Texas received 55 of 60 first-place votes for 1,490. The Longhorns open the season Aug. 30 against Hawaii in the Chevron Invitational at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Penn State, with three first-place votes, is No. 2, followed by Stanford, with two votes.
Rounding out the Top 10 are: USC, Washington, Minnesota, Michigan, Oregon, Florida and Nebraska.
Other ranked teams Hawaii is scheduled to play this season are No. 12 UCLA, No. 24 Wichita State and No. 25 Creighton.
Wahine coach Dave Shoji, entering his 39th season, is four wins away from becoming the all-time winningest coach in NCAA women’s volleyball. He has 1,103; retired UCLA coach Andy Banachowski is at 1,106.
Other receiving votes teams on the schedule: (#26) San Diego (#33) Long Beach State
I take issue with 3 comments from this release, of the poll announcement 1) the AVCA Division I Coaches think Hawaii is good but not top 10 material and if the Wahine want to change their position “the same place it ended in 2012” they’ll have to play their way into the elite 8. Can do, Wahine, can do.
The Wahine “are the only Big West Conference team in the poll (top 25) which says they expected the Wahine to win their league and are highly regarded despite their league’s lack of strength.
“Wahine coach Dave Shoji, entering his 39th season, is 4 wins away from becoming the all-time winningest coach in NCAA women’s volleyball” which says that this is expected to happen given the two statements above, so is inevitable. Or another way, he will win his league reach this milestone but we don’t think his team will be dominanting. This can be proved wrong with any number of finishes to this season but remains to be seen. To that I say, Go Wahine!
think you are reading too much into the poll.
it’s coaches, sometimes SIDs voting, who look at least year, may look at what’s returning, and the points fall where they fall.
Shoji will reach the milestone weeks before conference play.
how you view the word dominating is open to interpretation.
given the prejudice towards the BCS schools, which has nothing to do with volleyball, i’d say Hawaii in a good spot. but the poll doesn’t matter. It’s the RPI.
Cindy, is there a reason why the Wahine are playing Texas the first night, instead of the 2nd night? Was it the Texas HC who requested to play the Wahines the first night, knowing they would have to play 2 matches the 2nd day. Thinking the Wahines would have a better chance of beating Texas if they played them the 2nd day, after Texas already played earlier that day.
I believe this year’s pre-conference RPI should be higher then the last few years, just hope the BWC RPI is higher then last year’s. Otherwise it would only minimize what Shoji tried to do with his team’s pre-conference schedule. For the Wahines to have a chance at getting to the Final 4, they need to have a Top 8 RPI standing.
Looking at the other BWC teams pre-conference schedule, nobody is playing a tougher one then the Wahines. But at least half of the other BWC teams are playing a somewhat strong pre-conference schedule, but the other half, hopefully will not bring down the Wahines RPI that much.
Guessing Cindy is not attending this afternoon’s practice. Does not really matter. According to what Dave Shoji said on the BC show, this morning, this week will be dedicated mainly to fundamentals. Developing a starting unit, and substitution patterns, will not begin until next week’s practice. That is when the real fun and intrigue begins.
Was at practice this afternoon. They went late. no internet. am back home, will update in a bit.
DF, Sounds like you don’t need me to give you answers anymore, including about Texas, since you got all you need from Bobby’s show.
Perhaps you could call Bobby and ask about Texas. Or not, since I think the last time he went to a Wahine practice was maybe 1989.
#11 … that’s right about where i figured they would be, especially since that’s where they ended last season. that’s kinda how these polls operate. plenty of room (and time) to move up. 🙂