The No. 23 ranked UMSL volleyball team discusses strategy during a timeout.

The University of Missouri–St. Louis volleyball team has achieved its highest national ranking in 17 years. The team was ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll, most recently at No. 23.

UMSL is off to a 9-2 start on the season. The team is coming off a pair of quality wins in its own Tritons Classic on Sept. 11, including a 3-0 victory over then No. 15 ranked Truman State University (Kirksville, Mo.). UMSL followed with three more victories since first receiving its national ranking last week. The Tritons’ have now won five consecutive matches and have not lost since being added to the national top 25 poll.

The program last appeared in the AVCA poll in 1993 and received its highest ranking of No. 14 during the 1991 season. This year, the Tritons were first nationally ranked on Sept. 13 when the team entered at No. 25.

The Tritons are one of three Great Lakes Valley Conference teams in the poll with Lewis University (Romeoville, Ill.) and the University of Indianapolis ranked No. 8 and 17, respectively.

UMSL will return to action at 7 p.m. Friday in Rensselaer, Ind., where they’ll take on their hosts, conference rival Saint Joseph’s College. They’ll follow with another conference road contest – this one between two nationally ranked teams – at 3 p.m. Saturday against the University of Indianapolis.

More information:
http://www.umsltritons.com/womens-sports/overview/7
http://www.glvcsports.com/
http://www.avca.org/divisions/division-two-women/polls-rankings/