LEXINGTON, Ky. – Georgia Tech volleyball has been ranked No. 9 in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Preseason Women’s Poll, the organization announced on Monday. The No. 9 ranking becomes the highest received by the Yellow Jackets in program history in a preseason poll.
Tech comes in as one of three ACC teams inside the top 10. The Jackets are slated to face five opponents ranked in the preseason top 25 this season in No. 4 Louisville, No. 6 Pitt, No. 7 Ohio State, No. 10 BYU and No. 17 Illinois. Each of the aforementioned teams reached the NCAA Tournament in 2021 as Louisville and Pitt each advanced to the Final Four while Ohio State, BYU and Illinois all played into the Sweet 16. The Jackets eliminated the Buckeyes during their Elite Eight run.
Overall, the nine spot ties the sixth-highest ranking Tech has received in its 42-year history. The Jackets’ selection marks the second consecutive appearance in the AVCA’s top 10 after being tabbed No. 8 at the end of the 2021 season. That ranking also tied the highest finish at a season’s end in program history alongside 2003’s Elite Eight team.
The Jackets have now been named in a preseason poll in back-to-back seasons after ending a 15-year drought last year. Reappearing in the Top 25 for the first time since 2005 at No. 12 on Sept. 30, 2020, Tech has since been listed in 39 straight top 25 polls to date. The Yellow Jackets reached as high as No. 6 during that stretch for two consecutive weeks from Nov. 18-25 in the fall of 2020, the highest ranking for the White and Gold since 2003 and third best mark all time.
Tech boasts 13 returners from 2021’s Elite Eight squad coming into the 2022 season, including reigning ACC and AVCA region player of the year as well as first team all-American Julia Bergmann along with All-ACC Second Team selection Breland Morrissette and ACC All-Freshman Team member Bianca Bertolino. The incumbents are joined by five newcomers, including a pair of transfers in all-American Tamara Otene (Illinois State) and Tali Marmen (UCF) along with freshmen Cara Bianco, Anna Boezi and Mikayla White. Reigning AVCA East Coast Region Coach of the Year Michelle Collier will lead the Jackets for her ninth season.
Following an exhibition match on the road at South Carolina (Aug. 21), Tech will open the regular season on the road at the Ole Miss Invitational by taking on host Ole Miss (Aug. 26) in Oxford, Miss. The Jackets will make their official return to O’Keefe Gymnasium hosting the GT Invitational, beginning with Dayton (Sept. 2).
Tech’s schedule is highlighted by 13 matches against 2021 NCAA tournament teams, including four at home against Dayton (Sept. 2), BYU (Sept. 8), Ohio State (Sept. 11) and Pitt (Oct. 19). The Jackets will host 14 regular season matches on The Flats, most notably the aforementioned Pitt match in the Thrillerdome. The event will mark the first volleyball match in McCamish Pavilion on record since the renaming and renovation of Alexander Memorial Coliseum. The remaining 13 matches will be held in O’Keefe Gymnasium, including two home tournaments.
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