Sept. 23, 2002

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-The University of North Carolina volleyball team continues to make history, earning a No. 15 ranking according to the USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association's Division I Coaches Poll released Monday.

The Tar Heels, previously ranked No. 18, jump three spots setting a new school record for highest ranking. The highest ranking for an ACC team was 13th by Clemson in 1999.

Carolina went 3-0 last week in non-conference action last week, for an overall record of 11-1. In the polls, the Tar Heels are just one voting point behind No. 14 Pepperdine, the team that beat UNC in the second round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament in Chapel Hill. Wisconsin, a team that the Tar Heels defeated earlier this season, is ranked No. 13.

Tuesday night UNC travels to Charlotte for a 7 p.m. match. The team opens ACC play this Friday at 7 p.m. hosting NC State in Carmichael.

USA TODAY/AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25
Poll #4, September 23, 2002

Rank School (Points, Record, Last Week)
1 USC (1611, 8-0, 1)
2 Hawai'i (1545, 10-0, 2)
3 Florida (1470, 9-1, 3)
4 Stanford (1431, 10-1, 4)
5 Nebraska (1383, 9-1, 5)
6 Long Beach St (1332, 10-0, 6)
7 Northern Iowa (1225, 13-1, 7)
8 Minnesota (1151, 13-2, 8)
9 Penn State (1062, 10-1, 9)
10 UC Santa Barbara (1035, 11-0, 12)
11 Ohio State (831, 6-3, 13)
12 Arizona (827, 6-4, 15)
13 Wisconsin (788, 9-2, 16)
14 Pepperdine (675, 7-5 ,14)
15 UNC (674, 11-1, 18)
16 Utah (626, 10-3, 10)
17 UCLA (550, 7-5, 11)
18 Washington St. (520, 11-0, 20)
19 Santa Clara (506, 10-2, 19)
20 Texas A&M (374, 9-2, 17)
21 Michigan St. (354, 8-2, 21)
22 E.Washington (329,12-0, 23)
23 Colorado (144, 8-4, NR)
24 Pacific (130, 5-5, 22)
25 Georgia Tech (122, 14-2, NR)

Others receiving points and listed on two or more ballots: Missouri (116), South Carolina (80), San Diego (51), Arizona State (35), California (31), Illinois (22), Texas (17), Washington (15), Colorado State (12), Louisville (12), Fresno State (10), Nevada (8), Notre Dame (8), Cincinnati (2), Weber State (2).