DALLAS – Rice and WKU are ranked in the 2021 preseason American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 poll.
 
WKU (23-1 overall last season), the defending C-USA champion is ranked at No. 16, while Rice (18-5 overall last season), winners of the conference’s West Division title in 2020 is No. 23. The No. 16 preseason rank for the Hilltoppers is the highest preseason rank in the program’s history, while the Owls are ranked in the AVCA preseason poll for the first time.
 
The Hilltoppers return all 14 players from its spring squad that made a historic run to the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament in Omaha, Nebraska.  Last season, WKU earned both the C-USA East Division title and C-USA Championship title before suffering its only loss to Kentucky, the eventual national champions. WKU was No. 16 in the final AVCA poll last season.
 
The Owls won the C-USA West Division with a 12-0 conference record last year and earned an NCAA Tournament at-large bid for a second straight season. Rice finished last season ranked No. 23 in the final AVCA poll and returns all six starters and libero.