The margins were thin this week in the VolleyballMag Super 16 Media Poll, especially at No. 1, where Pittsburgh got seven of the 12 first-place votes. The Panthers remained in the top spot over Nebraska, which got the other five first-place votes, by four points.
SMU, which last week got swept by Pitt and then dealt the Panthers their first defeat, jumped five spots to No. 9.
As you look at the poll, you’ll see how close the rankings are, especially at No. 9, where SMU is one point ahead of Wisconsin, and No. 11, where Purdue is one point ahead of Oregon. Voter comments follow, as well:
Rank, Team, Points, First-Place Votes, Previous ranking
1. Pittsburgh (187 points, 7 first-place votes, 1)
2. Nebraska (183, 5 first-place votes, 2)
3. Penn State (166, 3)
4. Louisville (158, 4)
5. Stanford (137, 6)
6. Creighton (133, 5)
7. Texas (122, 7)
8. Kansas (98, 8)
9. SMU (88, 14)
10. Wisconsin (87,10 )
11. Purdue (71, 9)
12. Oregon (70, 11)
13. Arizona State (46, 12)
14. Minnesota (35, 14)
15. USC (18, 16)
16. Kentucky (16, 12)
Also receiving votes: Utah, TCU, Florida State, Dayton, Auburn
Dropped out: None
The voters
Lincoln Arneal (@Lincoln_VB) — Nebraska beat writer for Huskers Illustrated and co-host of the Volleyball State podcast
Abby Benton (@numberonevolleyball) — played at DII Catawba and DIII William Peace and has 54K Instagram followers and more than 116K on TikTok
Michella Chester (@michellachester) — THE volleyball voice of NCAA.com
Shelby Coppedge (@shelbycoppedge) — ESPN analyst, former Texas A&M-Corpus Christi DS
Emily Ehman @emilyehman) — Big Ten Network, ESPN, Volleyball World TV analyst; former Northwestern DS
Lee Feinswog (@VBMagazine) — editor of VolleyballMag
Daniel Gillman (@DanielGillman/@SixRotations) — host of Six Rotations for the AVCA, national play-by-play for multiple sports
Sam Gore (@sambgore) — veteran broadcaster/studio host who does ESPN volleyball play-by-play, host of the Fifth Set during the NCAA Tournament
Mick Haley (@Michaelhaley6) — ESPN analyst, former national-championship coach at Texas and USC and 2000 USA Olympic coach
Amy Pauly (@acpauly10) — Head coach of the Orlando Valkyries of the Pro Volleyball Federation and the team’s vice-president of volleyball operations; former assistant coach at USC, head coach at UAB; libero at Alabama
Dennis Punzel (@DennisPunzel) — Wisconsin beat writer for the Wisconsin State Journal, author of Point! Wisconsin
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