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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Unbeaten Falcons Now Listed Among Nation’s Elite
September 19, 2011 | Volleyball
AVCA Top 25 Poll
Lexington, Ky. – The Bowling Green State University volleyball team received six votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll, released Monday. The six votes represent the most among all schools in the Mid-American Conference.
Bowling Green is off to its best start in program history with victories in the first 12 contests. In fact, the Falcons beat Michigan State in four sets, handing the Spartans their only loss of the year. Bowling Green has also defeated South Florida from the Big East and has won four consecutive matches in three-set sweeps, dropping just six sets all year.
California ranks No. 1 in the country with 58-of-60 first-place votes and is 13-0. Stanford is second with one first place votes and Illinois is third, with the lone other first-place vote. Bowling Green's six total votes would rank the team 40th in the country and Northern Illinois is the only other MAC school with votes, earning four.
The recognition is the latest honor for a program that has shown jaw-dropping improvement coming off of an 8-24 season a year ago. The Falcons added just one player to the regular rotation from a year ago but have seen the maturing of a large sophomore class that has led the way. As well, senior Emily Kauth and junior Kari Galen have provided leadership both on and off the court as upperclassmen.
The notoriety also comes during a historic season for the Falcons which will be the last of head coach Denise Van De Walle's 29 seasons at the helm as she announced that she will retire following the campaign. It is also the team's first season in a new home as the team broke in the Stroh Center with that four-set victory over Michigan State.
Bowling Green heads to the road this weekend to open Mid-American Conference play with a pair of critical matches. The Falcons will play at Ohio, the preseason favorite to win the MAC East Division, Friday night at 7 p.m. before playing at Kent State Saturday night at 7 p.m.
BG VB : Postgame Interviews 11.22
Sunday, November 23
BG VB : Postgame Interviews 11.21
Saturday, November 22
BG VB : Postgame Interviews 11.8
Sunday, November 09
BG VB : Postgame Interviews 11.7
Saturday, November 08