Golden Suns Volleyball Ranked 10th in latest NCAA Division II South Region Poll

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – The NCAA Division II Women’s Volleyball Committee has released this week’s latest women’s volleyball regional rankings for the 2010 season. The rankings list the Top 10 teams in each of the NCAA’s eight Division II regions.

Tech, who is 29-4 overall , including being 23-4 against Division II teams, 10-1 in the Gulf South Conference West Division and a 20-4 in-region record, is ranked 10th in this week’s third South Regional poll. The Golden Suns, who were ranked 10th in the initial rankings two weeks ago and were not ranked last week, returned the poll at No. 10 this week. Tech is one of four GSC ranked in third South Region poll of the season and the only representative in the poll from the West Division.

At the end of the season, the top eight teams from each region will receive bids to the 64-team NCAA D-II Volleyball Tournament. Each conference represented in a region has an automatic bid, which goes to their conference champion. The regional rankings will be released every other week until mid-November. Only matches played against NCAA D-II institutions are considered by the committee.

Tech is in the South Region which is comprised of schools from the GSC, Sunshine State Conference and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, along with several Division II independents.

In addition to Tech, GSC East Division members West Florida, North Alabama and Valdosta State are in this week’s third region poll. West Florida (20-6 D-II, 17-3 in-region) is ranked second, while North Alabama (17-8 D-II, 16-7 in-region) is ranked seventh and Valdosta State (20-9 D-II, 19-7 in-region), who fell in four sets to Tech earlier this season at UAH’s Country Inn & Suites Invitational, is ranked ninth this week.

The other schools in the third South Region poll all hail from the Sunshine State Conference. Headlining this week’s poll is Tampa (21-3 D- II, 17-1 in-region) at No. 1. Tampa is followed by Florida Southern (18-7 D-II, 15-7 in-region) at No. 3, Lynn (18-7 D-II, 16-5 in-region), who defeated Tech earlier this season in four sets, is ranked fourth and Barry (14-4 D-II, 13-3 in-region), who owns a five-set win over Tech this season, is at No. 5. Saint Leo (12-12 D-II, 8-8 in-region) is ranked eighth in this week’s poll.

Tech will close out the 2010 regular season on Thursday, Nov. 4 when they host Henderson State in a 7 p.m. match at Tucker Coliseum. The match will mark the final home contest for Tech’s three seniors – setter Kera Dukic (White Lake, Mich.), right side hitter Ashlynn Hamrick (Jackson, Mich.) and middle blocker Sarah Von Lienen (Lakeland, Tenn.). Earlier this season in Arkadelphia, the Golden Suns collected a four-set win over the Lady Reddies.