MANHATTAN, Kan. (K-State Sports) – Fresh off a dominant and historic weekend, the Kansas State volleyball team received more recognition Monday as the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) ranked the Wildcats as the 25th-best team in the nation in its latest poll.
K-State (7-2), winners of its last five matches, earns a national ranking for the first time since the week of Nov. 10, 2014, when the Cats came in at No. 23.
The ranking marks the 125th week that K-State is ranked under 16-year head coach Suzie Fritz, climbing as high as No. 5 in 2003.
The Wildcats opened eyes early nationally in the 2016 season, defeating No. 6 Hawai`i, 3-1, on its home floor in the season-opening weekend. It was K-State’s first win in six tries over the Rainbow Wahine and the first top-10 win on the road for the Cats since 2011.
Friday’s 3-1 win over Mississippi State marked the 800th victory in program history, making K-State just the third Big 12 school with 800 wins on its résumé. In the win over the Bulldogs, the Wildcats set a four-set program record with a .420 hitting percentage – breaking the previous mark by more than 50 points (.369, 1995).
The only two blemishes on Kansas State’s ledger are losses to No. 4 Wisconsin (3-0) and now-23rd ranked Michigan (3-1).
K-State will put its No. 25 ranking up against Creighton Tuesday night as the Bluejays visit Ahearn Field House with first serve scheduled for 6 p.m. Creighton (4-4) sits just outside the top 25 and received 14 points in Monday’s poll and has been ranked as high as No. 18 this season.
The Cats conclude non-conference play Friday and Saturday as they compete in the Arkansas Invitational in Fayetteville against Arkansas, UMKC and Southern Mississippi. Big 12 play begins Wednesday, Sept. 21 as K-State hosts rival Iowa State at 7 p.m. at Ahearn Field House.
