Wildcats ranked nationally

ACU ranked No. 28 in AVCA pre-season poll

ABILENE -- The ACU volleyball team has been ranked No. 28 in the nation, according to the CSTV/AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll, the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced Tuesday.

The Wildcats -- 25-11 last year -- received 21 points in the poll to finish just out of the top 25.  West Texas A&M, favored to win the Lone Star Conference South Division by one point (93-92) over ACU in the league's pre-season poll, is ranked No. 26, followed by Northern Kentucky at No. 27 and then ACU.

ACU has never been ranked in the nation's top 25, and its No. 28 ranking is believed to be its highest ever.

"I like that people are beginning to recognize our program," said Brek Horn, who will begin her sixth year as ACU's head coach later this month. "It's a tremendous complement, and it's proof that we have our program heading in the right direction."

ACU junior outside hitter Michelle Bernhardt is the LSC South Division Pre-Season Player of the Year.  Last year Bernhardt recorded 623 kills and 402 digs to earn first team all-LSC South Division honors and help her team finish 25-11 overall and 7-3 and second in the LSC South Division.

ACU has five returning starters, including Bernhardt and Amanda Slate, both of whom were first team all-LSC South Division in 2003.  ACU's 25 wins last year marked the third time in the last five years that ACU has topped the 20-win plateau.

The Wildcats will get an early indication of just how good they really are when they take on four nationally ranked opponents in the first two weekends of the season.

ACU will open the season Aug. 27-28 at the First General Service West Texas A&M Lady Buff Classic in Canyon.  The Wildcats' fourth and final match in the tournament is Aug. 28 against Metropolitan State (Colo.), which is ranked No. 15 in the CSTV/AVCA pre-season top 25.

The next weekend (Sept. 3-4), however, will be the true test for the Wildcats, who will take on three nationally ranked opponents in four matches at the Cal State-San Bernandino Tournament.  The Wildcats will open the tournament against the host team from CS-San Bernandino, which last year finished 29-5 and reached the NCAA Division II national semifinals.  San Bernadino is ranked No. 7 in the pre-season poll.  That same day (Sept. 3), ACU will take on Fort Hays State (Kan.), ranked No. 25.  On Saturday, ACU will play unranked Sonoma State (Calif.), before wrapping up the tournament against No. 19 Minnesota State-Mankato.

Also on ACU's schedule during the season is St. Edward's, which is ranked No. 21 in the nation in the pre-season poll.