LEXINGTON, Ky. – Central Oklahoma is the No. 1 team in the country in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 announced Monday.
The Bronchos are 16-0 this season and now 2-0 in the MIAA after a pair of road sweeps to open league play this weekend in Kansas. UCO beat Newman Friday night before taking down Pittsburg State on Saturday afternoon.
Previous No. 1 and defending national champion Lynn lost for the first time this season to No. 9 Barry on Saturday, which allowed unbeaten Central Oklahoma to move up to the top spot for the first time in school history. UCO was ranked No. 4 after the first weekend of the season. That mark was the highest in school history. Central spent two weeks at No. 2 before moving to the top spot this week.
Tampa is ranked No. 2, MIAA rival Nebraska Kearney is ranked third, Barry is up to No. 4 this week, and Point Loma is ranked fifth. Lynn dropped to No. 6 after their first loss.
This season is the second consecutive year the Bronchos have started 16-0. UCO went 18-0 last year before suffering its first loss. That is the school record for best start, which topped the 2015 team's 15-0 start.
Central Oklahoma has a four-game homestand over the next two weekends in Edmond. UCO hosts Missouri Southern Thursday at 6 p.m. and Central Missouri Saturday at 1 p.m. The Bronchos will host Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western the following weekend.
