LEXINGTON, Ky. – Georgia Tech volleyball (3-0) has been ranked No. 16 in the latest AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Women’s Poll, the organization announced on Monday. The Jackets flew up eight spots from their preseason ranking of No. 24, the highest jump inside the rankings within a week in program history.
Tech put the volleyball world on notice over the weekend, winning all three of its matches against No. 17 Penn State (formerly ranked 12th), UCF and St. John’s on the way to a UCF Challenge title. At the conclusion of the tournament, junior Julia Bergmann was named tournament MVP while senior Mariana Brambilla and freshman Bianca Bertolino were each selected to the all-tournament team.
The Jackets made waves in their season opener against Penn State, dominating the Nittany Lions for a 3-1 statement win on Friday. The win marked the highest ranked victory for Tech since the 2003 NCAA tournament, and the first ranked triumph for the program since 2017. Georgia Tech followed the historic victory with yet another significant win on Friday, defeating 2020 AAC Champions and host UCF 3-1. The Yellow Jackets remained locked in for their UCF Challenge finale, sweeping St. John’s 3-0 on Saturday to complete a flawless run through the season-opening slate.
Bergmann has led the Jacket attack to date, piling up 53 kills (4.82 per set) on a .325 hitting percentage, 30 digs, five service aces and four total blocks (three solo). Amongst the conference, Bergmann currently leads the ACC in six different categories: attacks per set – 10.64, points – 61.5, points per set – 5.59, total attacks – 117, kills per set and total kills. On a national scale, the junior is currently top 15 in the NCAA in four of those areas – 10th in points, 14th in points per set, 14th in kills per set and eighth in total kills.
Up Next
Georgia Tech will head to the West Coast next to face a pair of traditional national powers at the 2021 Long Beach State Tournament. The Jackets kick off action on Friday against host Long Beach State at 10 p.m. ET, followed by a Saturday matchup versus No. 18-ranked UCLA, which begins at 6 p.m. ET.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Instagram (@GTVolleyball), Twitter (@GTVolleyball), Facebook (Georgia Tech Volleyball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
