Poll: Whitewater’s climb continues

Washington is still the top team in the Week 3 AVCA poll after the Bears (14-0) topped Juniata in five sets last weekend. JC (11-1) remained No. 2 despite the loss. Emory (10-1), Wittenberg (10-1) and UW-Whitewater (11-1) round out the top five. Whitewater was 14th, 11th and 8th in the first three polls.

Besides Wash U and UWW, Midwest/Central teams in the Top 25 (rank last week): #10 (7) UW Oshkosh 12-2 #13 (16) St. Olaf 10-3 #14 (13) Carthage 7-5 #15 (14) St. Thomas 9-3 #16 (15) UW-Eau Claire 8-3 #21 (T20) Nebraska Wesleyan 13-1 #22 (T20) U of Chicago 13-2 #23 (25) Concordia-Moorhead 8-3 #24 (24) Saint Mary’s 8-2 Dropped out: Saint Benedict (8-6) went from 14 votes and No. 34 to off the list.

Interesting that St. Ben’s went 5-0 last week and then the voters denied entry to the Blazers. Still no UW-Platteville. The Pioneers would get a vote from me.

-Ricky Nelson