Aug. 11, 2003
The Georgia Tech volleyball team begins the 2003 season ranked 12th in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches Preseason Poll released on Monday. The Yellow Jackets, which return every starter to a team which finished the 2002 season with a school-record 33 wins, received 668 votes. Southern California, the defending national champion, is atop the poll, receiving 1624 votes.
“Obviously, we are excited,” said head coach Bond Shymansky, who has led the Yellow Jackets to the highest ranking in school history. “But, unfortunately, being ranked will not give us any points in a game. This certainly gives our team a boost of confidence to know that other teams respect you and possibly revere you as we head into our season.”
This marks just the third time in the program’s history that Georgia Tech has earned a preseason ranking. In 1996 the Yellow Jackets opened the season ranked No. 16 and in 2001 they were ranked No. 25.
“I really feel like this is just the start of something big for us this season,” said Shymansky. “Georgia Tech fans, volleyball fans in Atlanta and fans in the ACC will get a chance to see a team that is in contention for more than just the ACC title in November.”
The Yellow Jackets open the season Aug. 29 against Northwestern in the Courtyard by Marriott Classic, held on campus in O’Keefe Gymnasium. Seven teams on the 2003 schedule appear in the poll, including Nebraska, who opens the year ranked seventh.
USA TODAY/AVCA DIVISION I COACHES TOP 25
Preseason Poll, August 11, 2003
| Rank | School (First-Place Votes) | Total Points | 2002 Record | Last Ranking |
| 1 | USC (64) | 1624 | 31-1 | 1 |
| 2 | Hawai’i (1) | 1518 | 34-2 | 3 |
| 3 | Florida | 1476 | 34-3 | 4 |
| 4 | Stanford | 1447 | 32-5 | 2 |
| 5 | Pepperdine | 1281 | 26-7 | 6 |
| 6 | Minnesota | 1238 | 32-6 | 11 |
| 7 | Nebraska | 1219 | 31-2 | 5 |
| 8 | Northern Iowa | 1071 | 34-3 | 9 |
| 9 | UC Santa Barbara | 1048 | 30-3 | 8 |
| 10 | Arizona | 978 | 20-12 | 10 |
| 11 | Penn State | 850 | 25-8 | 16 |
| 12 | Georgia Tech | 668 | 33-6 | 17 |
| 13 | UCLA | 650 | 20-14 | 15 |
| 14 | Santa Clara | 588 | 24-7 | 19 |
| 15 | Kansas State | 573 | 21-9 | 21 |
| 16 | Long Beach State | 519 | 28-4 | 14 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 496 | 24-9 | 18 |
| 18 | Ohio State | 425 | 21-11 | 13 |
| 19 | Washington State | 409 | 24-8 | 7 |
| 20 | North Carolina | 388 | 32-4 | 12 |
| 21 | Missouri | 361 | 26-8 | 20 |
| 22 | Louisville | 315 | 28-6 | NR |
| 23 | Texas | 266 | 23-9 | NR |
| 24 | California | 245 | 20-12 | NR |
| 25 | Michigan State | 221 | 21-12 | 22 |
Others receiving points and listed on two or more ballots: Miami (174), Temple (171),Washington (130), Colorado State (121), Notre Dame (116), Texas A&M (99), Pacific (88), Utah (73), Eastern Washington 55, BYU 40, San Diego 39, Michigan 18, Arkansas 14, Duke 14, South Carolina 14, Arizona St. 13, Loyola Marymount 9, Fresno St. 7, Indiana 3.
14 teams mentioned on only one ballot for a total of 53 combined points
