Stanford Reclaims the Top Spot; VolleyMob Week 2 Top 25 Poll

The first weekend is in the books as we saw some shuffling among the top with Texas losing to Florida (who scored another top-five win over Nebraska) and Washington falling to the hands of Creighton. Plenty of others throughout the top 25 rose to the challenge while others had rough first weeks.

Due to all of the surprises coming after the initial preseason poll, which is mostly speculation and hoopla as opposed to tangible evidence, we see plenty of movement in the week two poll. That movement starts at the very top, where defending National Champion Stanford is back on top.

VolleyMob Top 25 (Week Two):

1. STANFORD CARDINAL

3-0 (0-0, Pac-12)
Last Week: #2; Def. at LBSU (3-0), Iowa (3-0), Wright State (3-0)
Stanford didn’t have any juggernaut opponents, but did face solid teams in Iowa and Long Beach State that could push for NCAA Tournament appearances. They took care of business winning every set and reclaim the top spot after Texas lost to Florida.

2. MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS

2-0 (0-0, Big Ten)
Last Week: #4; Def. #10 UNC (3-0), Louisville (3-1)
The team that lost to Stanford in the National Semifinals last season moves up from four to two. They have plenty of new faces but look just as talented as they minced North Carolina, a preseason top 10 team, even winning one set 25-7.

3. FLORIDA GATORS

2-0 (0-0, SEC)
Last Week: #9; Def. #1 Texas (3-1), #5 Nebraska (3-2)
Florida had a better opening week than anyone, as they currently own the best resume through one weekend of play. They earned two top-five victories as their experience and dominant front-line makes Florida a legit National Title contender.

4. TEXAS LONGHORNS

1-1 (0-0, Big 12)
Last Week: #2; Lost at #9 Florida (1-3), Def. #15 Oregon (3-1)
With All-American Micaya White not playing the final two and a half sets vs. Florida, the Longhorns fell on the road vs. a tough opponent. They redeemed themselves for the week with a win against a strong Oregon team as they came back after losing the first set.

5. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS

3-0 (0-0, Big Ten)
Last Week: #6; Def. UT-Martin (3-0), Delaware (3-0), at West Virginia (3-0)
Penn State took care of business against a weaker schedule than they will see this next week, but they didn’t drop a set and did what they were supposed to. A win at West Virginia may not sound illustrious, but the Mountaineers should be much improved this season and Penn State won the final set 25-5.

6. CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS

3-0 (0-0, Big East)
Last Week: #11; Def. Saint Mary’s (3-0), Pittsburgh (3-0), at #3 Washington (3-1)
Creighton pulled off an upset of the defending Pac-12 champion Washington in Seattle and doing so in four sets leading to them vaulting in the rankings. They also scored a sweep over Pittsburgh, who was a second round NCAA Tournament team last season.

7. WASHINGTON HUSKIES

2-1 (0-0, Pac-12)
Last Week: #3; Def. Pittsburgh (3-0), Saint Mary’s (3-0), Lost vs. #11 Creighton (1-3)
The week started well for Washington as they won their first six sets, including three against a 2016 NCAA Second Round opponent in Pittsburgh. They ran into a Creighton team that looked ready to carry over their Elite Eight success, but still should be one of the best teams in the country.

8. WISCONSIN BADGERS

2-0 (0-0, Big Ten)
Last Week: #8; Def. Louisville (3-0), #10 North Carolina (3-0)
Wisconsin looked solid in replacing so many as they swept two ACC teams in Louisville and a top 10 opponent in North Carolina. The Tar Heels win got a bit lessened in terms of hype after they struggled so much vs. Minnesota the day before, but it was a great opening week for the Badgers.

9. KANSAS JAYHAWKS

3-0 (0-0, Big 12)
Last Week: #7; Def. at NC State (3-1), Missouri State (3-1), at NC State (3-2)
Kansas took on two solid teams that could push for the NCAA Tournament and although they struggled at times, it’s important to note that they had to take on the same team on the road in two days, yet came away with wins. Missouri State is the projected winner of the MVC.

10. OREGON DUCKS

1-1 (0-0, Pac-12)
Last Week: #15; Def. #5 Nebraska (3-1), Lost vs. #1 Texas (1-3)
A 1-1 opening weekend is pretty darn good considering both were against top five teams. Oregon pulled off one victory over Nebraska while they won the first set against Texas but couldn’t hold on. Still, the Ducks were very impressive with their loaded roster of returning talent.

11. UCLA BRUINS

3-0 (0-0, Pac-12)
Last Week: #12; Def. #23 San Diego (3-0), Marquette (3-1), #20 Hawaii (3-2)
The Bruins earned a pair of ranked victories in addition to one over an upstart Marquette team in an impressive opening week. They came in with some questions after several big losses, but performed well as they dominated San Diego and escaped the host team in Hawaii on the final day of the tournament.

12. NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS

0-2 (0-0, Big Ten)
Last Week: #5; Lost vs. #15 Oregon (1-3), at #9 Florida (2-3)
Nebraska is likely the best 0-2 team in the country, as not only did both losses come to top 15 (and now top 10) opponents, but the Huskers were without All-American setter Kelly Hunter as she was mending an injury. They also were infusing plenty of new talent, but should turn things around next week.

13. BYU COUGARS

3-0 (0-0, WCC)
Last Week: #13; Def. Saint Louis (3-0), UTRGV (3-0), #22 Ohio State (3-1)
BYU didn’t skip a beat as they appear to be one of the top mid-majors in the country as they won their first six sets of the season. They dropped one next against Ohio State but won the final three sets for their first ranked victory of the season.

14. KENTUCKY WILDCATS

3-0 (0-0, SEC)
Last Week: #14; Def. Arkansas State (3-0), #21 Utah (3-2), Cincinnati (3-0)
The highlight of Kentucky’s week was a five-set win over a ranked Utah team. The Wildcats have plenty back to go along with another strong recruiting class as Kentucky looks primed to challenge Florida for the SEC.

15. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS

0-2 (0-0, ACC)
Last Week: #10; Lost vs. #4 Minnesota (0-3), at #8 Wisconsin (0-3)
North Carolina had a rough opening week, even losing a set 25-7 to Minnesota. Of the other five sets, they only hit the 20-point plateau twice. They have a long way to go, but considering they were playing top-end competition this early in the year with some new players at key positions, we didn’t drop the Tar Heels too far.

16. FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES

3-0 (0-0, ACC)
Last Week: #17; Def. at RV Baylor (3-1), Illinois State (3-2), UC Santa Barbara (3-2)
Florida State scored the big early win against receiving votes Baylor on the road, but from there struggled as it took them five sets to defeat Illinois State and UC Santa Barbara.

17. USC TROJANS

3-0 (0-0, Pac-12)
Last Week: RV; Def. at Loyola Marymount (3-1), #16 Michigan (3-1), Albany (3-1)
USC had some questions with multiple transfers in and out of the program after they had an underwhelming 2016. They look more like a classic USC team this season as they flexed their muscle on the road with a strong WCC team in Loyola Marymount and followed it with a win over 16th-ranked Michigan.

18. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES

2-1 (0-0, Big Ten)
Last Week: #16; Def. Albany (3-0), at Loyola Marymount (3-0); Lost at RV USC (1-3)
Michigan took care of business against Albany and Loyola Marymount, but couldn’t win on the road against an upbeat USC team. Still, Michigan should challenge for a top-16 hosting position on the season.

19. UTAH UTES

2-1 (0-0, Pac-12)
Last Week: #21; Def. Cincinnati (3-0), Arkansas State (3-0); Lost at #14 Kentucky (2-3)
Even with a loss, Utah moves up in the rankings. That’s because their one loss showed how good they can be as it took a late run by Kentucky in Lexington to get the job done. Beyond that, the Utes swept their other two opponents and look ready to become a Pac-12 dark horse.

20. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES

2-1 (0-0, Big Ten)
Last Week: #22; Def. UTRGV (3-0), Saint Louis (3-1); Lost at #13 BYU (1-3)
Playing in Provo is never easy, and although Ohio State took the first set, they were unable to muster up any more set victories against a very solid BYU squad. The Buckeyes move up as they took care of the other two matches and didn’t have as bad of a loss as some other teams who were in front of them when the week began.

21. MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS

2-1 (0-0, Big Ten)
Last Week: #19; Def. Furman (3-0), Auburn (3-0); Lost at Georgia Tech (1-3)
The Spartans looked rock solid through two matches but then stumbled on the road against the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech may end up being a bad loss for Michigan State, but it may be an exception as opposed to the rule for Michigan State’s results in 2017.

22. PURDUE BOILERMAKERS

3-0 (0-0, Big Ten)
Last Week: #25; Def. Oral Roberts (3-0), Cleveland State (3-0), Alabama (3-0)
Purdue had one of the best non-conference runs last season when they took down Kansas and Stanford in successive weeks and look ready for another strong start to this season.

23. SAN DIEGO TOREROS

2-1 (0-0, WCC)
Last Week: #23; Lost vs. #13 UCLA; Def. at #20 Hawaii (3-0), Marquette (3-0)
The last two matches of the weekend San Diego looked like a completely different team than when they opened with UCLA. Part of that may be due to a difference in their opponent, but they disposed of a potential NCAA Tournament team in Marquette and a ranked-host in Hawaii in three sets each.

24. WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS

3-0 (0-0, C-USA)
Last Week: RV; Def. Southern Illinois (3-0), at Miami (OH) (3-1), Northern Arizona (3-0)
One of the winning-est programs in Division I volleyball of late has been mid-major darling Western Kentucky, who returns most of their team from 2016. They started off well as they took to the road in week one.

25. BAYLOR BEARS

2-1 (0-0, Big 12)
Last Week: RV; Lost vs. #17 Florida State (1-3); Def. Illinois State (3-0), UC Santa Barbara (3-0)
The Bears couldn’t upset an ACC Contender in Florida State in Waco, but played a strong match and even won their lone set with a one-sided 25-12 score. Then they dominated their other competition as Katie Staiger looks to have more pieces around her in her senior season.

On the Cusp:

Washington State (1-0)

Illinois Fighting Illini (3-0)

Missouri State (2-1)

Northern Iowa (3-0)

Iowa State (3-0)

TCU (3-0)

Wichita State (3-0)

Marquette (1-2)

*Hawaii (0-3) (20)

Cal Poly (3-0)

(Note: * Signifies that a team dropped out of the top 25/Previous rank in parenthesis)

Others who Dropped Out:

*Missouri (18)

*Arizona (24)