Marshall University Athletics
Herd Volleyball Nets First-Ever No. 1 Regional Ranking
10/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 10, 2005
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University volleyball team reached its first-ever No. 1 regional ranking in the history of the program, the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced Monday night.
The Thundering Herd with its 13-4 overall record and 5-0 mark in Conference USA overtook Rice for the top spot in the Midwest Region in this week's poll. Marshall's RKPI (Rich Kern Percentage Index, equal to NCAA RPI) climbed to No. 41 in the nation this week, also a program-best for the squad.
"It's very cool," Marshall head coach Mitch Jacobs said. "I think it's a product of playing well over a sustained period of time. Obviously, if we were in the Big Ten region, we wouldn't be ranked No. 1, but we're in a different region with some very good teams and its great for our program to see this kind of recognition. This is very exciting for all of our players and the hardwork that they've put into this team."
Marshall is in first place in C-USA in its inaugural season and is the only undefeated team in league play. The Herd has also won a season-best six matches in a row and its last 13 of 15.
The Herd is dominating on both sides of the net statistically in C-USA. The Herd leads in hitting percentage (.260), opponent hitting percentage (.148), assists per game (15.02) and blocks per game (2.52). Individually, Kelly-Anne Billingy leads the league in kills per game with 5.57, three players, Billingy, Nickie Sanlin and Stephanie Cahill are in the top ten in hitting percentage, Katie Stein leads in assists per game with 14.14 and Cahill is second in service aces.
Billingy and Stein are both ranked fifth in the nation in kills per game and assists per game respectively.
In C-USA play only, Marshall's numbers are even more impressive. As a team, Marshall is hitting .335 in league play and holding opponents to a stingy .098. The Herd is also on top in kills per game with 17.4 and assists per game with 16.47 and second in both aces and blocks.
The Thundering Herd will be in action again this weekend as it looks to stay unbeaten and on top of C-USA at UAB and Memphis on Friday and Sunday.
"Being on top of the regional ranking is great, but we can't worry about it," Jacobs said. "We have focus on UAB and Memphis and not on our ranking."
RANKINGS by REGION Central Region 1. Nebraska 2. Missouri 3. Kansas State 4. Kansas 5. Texas 6. Texas A&M 7. Iowa State 8. Colorado 9. Texas Tech 10. Stephen F. Austin 11. Wichita State 12. Missouri State 13. Baylor 14. Valparaiso 15. Illinois State
East Region (Overall RKPI) 1. Maryland 2. Duke 3. Georgia Tech 4. Miami, Fla. 5. North Carolina 6. Virginia 7. Winthrop 8. Virginia Tech 9. Hofstra 10. Towson 11. Wake Forest 12. Coastal Carolina 13. William and Mary 14. Clemson 15. UNC Asheville
Mideast Region (Overall RKPI) 1. Penn State 2. Wisconsin 3. Purdue 4. Ohio State 5. Minnesota 6. Ohio 7. Michigan 8. Michigan State 9. Northwestern 10. Illinois 11. IPFW 12. Miami, Ohio 13. Ball State 14. Eastern Michigan 15. Iowa
Midwest Region (Overall RKPI) 1. Marshall 2. Rice 3. Houston 4. Texas-El Paso 5. Eastern Kentucky 6. Tulsa 7. Cleveland State 8. East Carolina 9. Wisconsin-Milwaukee 10. UAB 11. SMU 12. Tennessee State 13. Illinois-Chicago 14. Memphis 15. Eastern Illinois
Northeast Region 1. Louisville 2. Notre Dame 3. Cornell 4. Cincinnati 5. Albany 6. St. John's 7. Villanova 8. Pittsburgh 9. Dayton 10. Penn 11. Temple 12. Syracuse 13. American 14. Saint Louis 15. Connecticut
Pacific Region 1. Stanford 2. San Diego 3. Washington 4. Arizona 5. UCLA 6. Southern California 7. Santa Clara 8. Saint Mary's 9. California 10. Sacramento State 11. Loyola Marymount 12. Pepperdine 13. San Francisco 14. Montana State 15. Oregon
South Region 1. Florida 2. Tennessee 3. Arkansas 4. LSU 5. Kentucky 6. College of Charleston 7. Alabama 8. Middle Tennessee 9. South Carolina 10. Western Kentucky 11. Florida Atlantic 12. Mississippi State 13. Georgia 14. Denver 15. Appalachian State
West Region 1. BYU 2. Hawai'i 3. Long Beach State 4. Utah 5. Nevada 6. Colorado State 7. UC Santa Barbara 8. New Mexico State 9. Utah State 10. San Diego State 11. UNLV 12. New Mexico 13. Cal Poly 14. Idaho 15. Cal State Fullerton
Unassigned Northern Colorado North Florida South Dakota State Utah Valley State UC Davis North Dakota State
