CMS Volleyball Ranked No. 10 in AVCA Preseason Poll

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps volleyball team begins its first season in two years in a similar position to where it left off, ranked in the top ten in the nation, as it earned the No. 10 spot in the preseason poll from the American Volleyball Coaches Association released today.

The Athenas ended the 2019 season ranked No. 8 after a 27-4 season which saw them reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It marked the sixth year in a row that CMS finished in the top 10, including at No. 1 in 2017, when it won the NCAA Division III national championship with a 3-0 victory over Wittenberg in the finals. 

In the interim, though, the Athenas lost the majority of their starting line-up, and it enters the 2021 season looking to build around a new nucleus. CMS was selected to host the 2023 NCAA Division III Championship at Roberts Pavilion, and the current team will look to build towards reaching the goal of making nationals and being able to play in the showcase event for its sport on its home floor. 

Before 2023 rolls around though, the Athenas will first look to re-establish themselves as one of the nation's top programs behind an experienced group of seniors who have been a part of two NCAA Tournaments. Outside hitter Jackie Jones has the most big-game experience after starting in the NCAA Tournament in both 2018 and 2019. Seniors Makenna Fall and Emma Thompson are back at the defensive specialist positions, and senior right side hitter Melanie Williams will look to have a breakthrough season after showing great potential while playing behind All-American Phoebe Madsen.  

The West Region is projected to be strong this year, as Trinity (Texas) earned the No. 1 spot and Colorado College was picked No. 2. Calvin, Emory and Carthage round out the top five. 

CMS will open play at home at the annual Pacific Coast Classic on Sept. 3-4 at Roberts Pavilion. The Athenas will face UC Santa Cruz at 9:30 a.m. and St. Norbert at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 3, and then face Eastern Nazarene (11:45 a.m.) and Wisconsin-Oshkosh (6:30 p.m.) on Sept. 4. The second weekend will see CMS match up with No. 1 Trinity and No. 4 Emory at the East-West Challenge at Cal Lutheran Sept. 10-11, along with WashU, which the Athenas defeated in the 2019 NCAA Tournament the last time it was in action. 

To view the full AVCA preseason poll, go to the following link: 

AVCA Division III Preseason Poll