The AVCA has released the preseason Division II Coaches Poll today, leaving the reigning NCAA Division II champions, Concordia – St. Paul on top, remaining where they were to finish the 2016 season in the final poll. The 2016 champions remain on top by a slight margin over Southwest Minnesota, who is only 24 points behind them in the poll with four first place votes. Concordia – St. Paul received 38 first place votes.
Concordia – St. Paul rolled through Alaska-Anchorage in the 2016 finals, winning easily in three 3-0, (25-19, 25-12, 25-12). Though, with the win, they are not returning any of their players that earned nationally recognized awards, including Riley Hanson who earned three consecutive AVCA All-American honors and Emma Lange who was named to the second-team, for her third AVCA honor.
Out of the top-five teams in the coaches poll, Nebraska-Kearney is the only team to not earn a first place vote, while Palm Beach Atlantic received two in the sixth place spot. Despite having no first place votes, Nebraska-Kearney jumped up two spots from the season ending poll, from five to three.
The largest bump up in the poll from 2016’s end is Tampa who moved from #24 to #17 in the preseason poll.
In the top-10, Lewis jumped from #10 to #7 and Angelo State from #11 to #9. Augustana dropped two spots, from #8 to #10 while Wheeling Jesuit did as well going from #9 to #11.
| RANK | SCHOOL | POINTS | 2016 RECORD | FINAL RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Concordia – St. Paul (38) | 1149 | 35-2 | 1 |
| 2 | Southwest Minnesota St. (4) | 1125 | 28-6 | 2 |
| 3 | Nebraska-Kearney | 1040 | 35-2 | 5 |
| 4 | Alaska-Anchorage (1) | 1002 | 34-3 | 3 |
| 5 | Winona State (3) | 987 | 27-6 | 4 |
| 6 | Palm Beach Atlantic (2) | 965 | 32-4 | 6 |
| 7 | Minnesota Duluth | 937 | 25-5 | 7 |
| 8 | Lewis | 824 | 29-8 | 10 |
| 9 | Angelo State | 752 | 34-4 | 11 |
| 10 | Augustana (SD) | 709 | 27-6 | 8 |
| 11 | Wheeling Jesuit | 667 | 41-3 | 9 |
| 12 | Western Washington | 631 | 23-8 | 14 |
| 13 | Wayne State (Neb.) | 602 | 24-8 | 12 |
| 14 | Ferris State | 570 | 30-6 | 16 |
| 15 | Cal State San Bernardino | 495 | 25-5 | 17 |
| 16 | Washburn | 432 | 28-6 | 13 |
| 17 | Tampa | 415 | 23-9 | 24 |
| 18 | Central Oklahoma | 395 | 30-4 | 15 |
| 19 | Colorado School of Mines | 358 | 25-7 | 20 |
| 20 | Metro State | 287 | 27-5 | 18 |
| 21 | Central Missouri | 262 | 23-10 | 19 |
| 22 | Concordia (CA) | 171 | 26-3 | 22 |
| 23 | Rockhurst | 145 | 27-7 | 23 |
| 24 | Northern State | 122 | 16-12 | 21 |
| 25 | Tarleton State | 110 | 27-7 | 25 |
Others receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots: Florida Southern 75; NW Nazarene 69; West Florida 44; North Alabama 39; California Baptist 31; Grand Valley State 25; Saint Leo 22; South Carolina-Aiken 20; Central Washington 16; Wingate 12; NW Missouri State 10; American International 9; Flagler 8; Arkansas-Fort Smith 6; Ashland 6; Cedarville 4
12 teams mentioned on only one ballot for a total of 52 combined points.
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