Poll: Wash U still the unanimous #1

Nothing changed atop the Week 1 AVCA Top 25 poll this week after defending national champion Washington got off to a 6-0 start. Wash U again received all 24 first-place votes. The top six remained the same: No. 2 Juniata (3-0), No. 3 Emory (5-0), No. 4 Hope (3-0), No. 5 Colorado (5-0) and No. 6 UW Oshkosh (3-0).

Last week’s big winner, Wittenberg (3-0) – which beat No. 14 UW-Whitewater, No. 8 St. Thomas and #26 Cal Lutheran – is somehow still behind UW Oshkosh at No. 7. I thought for sure Witt would be No. 6 after opening the season at No. 11. That’s what I get for thinking.

I was also thinking Concordia-Moorhead and UW-Platteville better get some votes this week, and U of Chicago better be in the Top 25. Those thoughts were correct. Chicago snuck in at No. 25, and CCM enters the poll this week at No. 26. UW-Platteville, my pick for third in the WIAC this year, picked up some votes this week as well. Also, it’s nice to see that Saint Benedict has a believer or two out there. The Blazers are still getting votes after an opening weekend to forget.

One random, rhetorical question: Why is La Verne (1-3) still getting votes and North Central (Ill.) is not? NCC lost all 16 poll points after winning its tourney in New England. La Verne went from 18 to 7 points after losing to Carleton and getting swept by Illinois Wesleyan. Interesting. It’s possible that NCC was in one person’s Top 25. To be listed among those receiving votes teams must be named on at least two ballots. Still, where did the votes go?

Besides Wash U and Oshkosh, here are the other Midwest/Central teams in the Week 1 Top 25 (last week rank):
No. 10 (7) Carthage 3-1
No. 11 (14) UW-Whitewater 4-1
No. 12 (13) UW-Eau Claire 4-1
No. 15 (8) St. Thomas 1-2
No. 18 (19) St. Olaf 4-0
No. 24 (24) Saint Mary’s 4-0
No. 25 (34) U of Chicago 6-0
Also receiving votes:
No. 26 (No votes) Concordia (Minn.) 3-1
No. 30 (30) Nebraska Wesleyan 4-0
No. 31 (28) Saint Benedict 1-4
No. 33 (No votes) UW-Platteville 4-1
Dropped out:
No. 33 North Central (Ill.) 3-1

-Ricky Nelson