Ricky Nelson’s 2017 preseason top 25

For your scrutinizing pleasure, here is my preseason top 25 followed by another 15 teams that should garner votes in AVCA’s preseason poll, which typically debuts in mid-August.

1. Calvin 2. Wittenberg 3. Northwestern 4. Emory 5. Washington (Mo.) 6. Gustavus Adolphus 7. Chicago 8. Illinois Wesleyan 9. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 10. Trinity (Texas) 11. Wisconsin-Whitewater 12. Hope 13. Millikin 14. Cal Lutheran 15. Colorado College 16. Texas Dallas 17. Randolph-Macon 18. Ithaca 19. Wisconsin-Eau Claire 20. Mary Washington 21. Wisconsin-La Crosse 22. Augsburg 23. Southwestern 24. Wisconsin-Oshkosh 25. Luther The next 15: Birmingham-Southern; Carthage; Christopher Newport; Eastern; Hendrix; Johns Hopkins; Johnson & Wales; Juniata; Ohio Northern; St. Thomas; Stevens; Stevenson; Swarthmore; Tufts; Wartburg.

-Ricky Nelson