polThe Minnesota volleyball team is starting the season ranked No. 5 according to the USA Today/CSTV Preseason Top-25 poll, which was released on Monday, Aug. 9. Minnesota received 1,318 votes in the poll to receive its highest preseason ranking in school history.

Minnesota was also one of five teams to garner a number one vote, joining USC who had 56, Nebraska with five, Stanford who had two and California who joined the Golden Gophers with one.

Last season the Golden Gophers were ranked No. 6 in the preseason poll. Minnesota finished the season with the highest ranking in school history at No. 4 after making the program's first appearance at the Final Four.

The Golden Gophers are the highest ranked of the four Big Ten programs in the top 25. Penn State is ranked No. 8, while Illinois is No. 19 and Wisconsin is No. 23. Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State also received votes in the top 25 preseason poll.

This season Minnesota could face nine of the preseason top 25 teams. The Golden Gophers' season opening tournament, the NACWAA Classic, will see them play host No. 11 Colorado State in their first match and either No. 1 USC or No. 12 Georgia Tech in the second match (consolation or championship). Minnesota will face No. 4 Florida (on CSTV), No. 14 Kansas State and No. 21 Northern Iowa in the Diet Coke Classic. The Golden Gophers also take on No. 18 Loyola Marymount, along with three Big Ten opponents that are ranked in the top-25.

Minnesota has now started the season ranked in the top 15 in four of the last five years, and in the top 10 in the past two seasons. Along with its No. 5 ranking this year, the Golden Gophers were also ranked No. 11 to start 2000, No. 15 to start 2001 and No. 6 in 2002.

Last year Minnesota advanced to the first Final Four in school history, finishing 26-11 with a 15-5 Big Ten record. The Golden Gophers return six starters and 11 letterwinners from that team.

The Golden Gophers start their preseason practice on Aug. 10. Minnesota will host its media day on Monday, Aug. 16 at 12:15 p.m. For more details on practice times or other team related information please call volleyball media relations contact Steven Geller at 612-624-9396.

Rank School (First-Place Votes) Total Points 2003 Record 2003 Final 1 USC (56) 1,596 35-0 1 2 Nebraska (5) 1,417 28-5 13 3 UCLA 1,386 24-9 5 4 Florida 1,360 36-2 2 5 Minnesota (1) 1,318 26-11 4 6 Stanford (2) 1,230 25-7 10 7 Washington 1,170 23-9 9 8 Penn State 1,160 31-5 7 9 Pepperdine 1,091 27-3 6 10 California (1) 1,082 25-7 12 11 Colorado State 997 30-5 14 12 Georgia Tech 931 34-4 8 13 Hawai'i 718 36-2 3 14 Kansas State 658 30-5 11 15 Texas A&M 552 23-10 16 16 UC Santa Barbara 546 19-9 22 17 Arizona 500 17-15 NR 18 Loyola Marymount 438 26-7 17 19 Illinois 426 26-7 15 20 Louisville 304 25-6 20 21 Northern Iowa 272 28-6 18 22 Santa Clara 271 20-11 19 23 Wisconsin 260 22-11 21 24 Utah 161 22-9 23 25 Notre Dame 136 23-7 24 Others receiving points and listed on two or more ballots: Maryland 112, Cincinnati 110, Long Beach State 108, San Diego 105, Texas 88, Kansas 85, Missouri 78, Michigan 68, Colorado 59, Brigham Young 58, Michigan State 45, UC Irvine 39, Pittsburgh 34, Florida A&M 27, Ohio 20, Arkansas 18, Wichita State 13, Fresno State 12, Tennessee 11, North Carolina 8, Ohio State 7, Pacific 7, Western Michigan 6, Ball State 3, Florida State 2.