CMS Volleyball Moves up to No. 1 Ranking in Nation

CLAREMONT, Calif. - After starting the 2022 season with four straight wins, all by 3-0 sweeps, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps volleyball team moved up to No. 1 in the nation in the latest poll from the American Volleyball Coaches Association, which was released this afternoon.

CMS began the season at No. 2, but was able to move up to the top of the ladder after top-ranked Wisconsin-Eau Claire, the defending national champions, fell to Trinity (Texas) on opening weekend. Meanwhile, the Athenas did not drop a set on their way to defeating UC Santa Cruz, Babson, No. 7 NYU and Millikin at the Pacific Coast Classic.

The Athenas received 69 of the 90 first place votes and had 2219 points, ahead of Trinity in second with 2137 points and 13 first-place votes. Calvin (5 first-place votes) and Wisconsin-Eau Claire (3) had the other eight. Calvin, Juniata, and Wisconsin Eau-Claire were ranked No. 3-5, while Hope, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Wisconsin-Whitewater and MIT rounded out the top 10. 

Trinity moved up to No. 2 after also starting out the year undefeated, and the two teams will meet this Saturday at Emory at the annual East-West Battle. Last year, the Tigers and Athenas played at Cal Lutheran at the same event, when Trinity was ranked No. 1, and CMS was able to earn the 3-1 win (and later beat No. 2 Emory on the same day). 

CMS was only able to climb as high as No. 2 last year, though, with Johns Hopkins staying in the way all season at No. 1. The Athenas reached the NCAA Semifinals before dropping a four-setter to Calvin and ending with a No. 3 ranking. Their No. 1 ranking is the first time they have been atop the poll since they ended the 2017 season in the No. 1 spot after winning the first national title in program history.  

CMS will have major challenges to its No. 1 ranking this week, as it faces No. 7 Johns Hopkins on Friday, before once again meeting Trinity (No. 2) and Emory (No. 14) on the same day on Saturday, this time in Emory's home gym. The Athenas will also play No. 13 Colorado College in two weeks at the Cal Lutheran Invitational. CMS will next be at home on Friday, Sept. 23 against Occidental. 

To view the complete poll, go to the following link:

AVCA Division III Poll (Sept. 6, 2022)