Aug. 14, 2000

LOS ANGELES - The AVCA/USA Today coaches poll has joined Volleyball Magazine in picking the 2000 Bruin women's volleyball team as preseason No. 1. SI for Women is also preparing a preseason poll, which should be published later this month. Twelve of the remaining top-25 teams are featured on UCLA's regular-season schedule.

Of the 60 coaches voting in the poll, 23 picked UCLA first, and head coach Andy Banachowski's Bruins accumulated 1399 points to top the poll.

The Bruins return five starters from a 1999 team that finished No. 7 in the AVCA poll and lost in the NCAA Central Regional Final to eventual champion Penn State. That group includes Player of the Year candidate Kristee Porter (Jr., OH), along with All-America candidates Elisabeth Bachman (Sr., MB) and Erika Selsor (Jr., S), Ashley Bowles (Jr., OPP), and Lauren Fendrick (So., OH). Senior defensive specialist Michelle Quon is also a returning All-Pac-10 player, earning honorable mention notice in 1999.

UCLA opens its 2000 season on Friday, Aug. 25, playing in the State Farm NACWAA Classic tournament in Gainesville, FL. The Bruins open with second-ranked defending NCAA champion Penn State. Host Florida is ranked No. 9 in the AVCA poll, while Colorado State, the fourth team in the field, is ranked No. 13. All tournament matches will be televised on a tape-delayed basis by ESPN2.

AVCA/USA Today Preseason Poll (No. 1 votes)
1 UCLA (23)
2 Penn State (10)
3 Stanford (9)
4 Long Beach State (13)
5 Hawai'i (2)
6 Nebraska (1)
7 USC (1)
8 Pepperdine
9 Florida
10 Arizona
11 Minnesota
12 Pacific (1)
13 Colorado State
14 UC Santa Barbara
15 BYU
16 Wisconsin
17 Kansas State
18 Texas
19 Texas A&M
20 Michigan State
21 Baylor
22 Northern Iowa
23 Loyola Marymount
24 Michigan
25 Ohio State

Others receiving 30 or more points: North Carolina (132), Clemson (97), Notre Dame (79), Illinois (61), Utah (59), San Diego (58), Arkansas (58), Colorado (35), Louisville (31).