Nov. 11, 2002

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-North Carolina volleyball is again ranked No. 12 in the latest USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association Division I Coaches Poll released Monday. The Tar Heels (25-2, 12-1) look to clinch a top seed in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament this week, beginning with a Tuesday night match vs. Virginia at 7.

Carolina has been ranked in the polls for the 11th consecutive week, including two straight weeks at No. 12. The Tar Heels have the seventh best winning percentage of all ranked teams at .926. Eastern Washington leads all teams with a .963 winning percentage.

This week the team hosts three ACC foes in Carmichael Auditorium. Tuesday at 7 p.m. the team welcomes Virginia (7-23, 1-13), a team that UNC topped 3-0 in Charlottesville on Oct. 19. Florida State, the only ACC team to beat the Tar Heels this season, comes to Chapel Hill this Saturday at 6 p.m. The Seminoles (18-10, 9-5) have clinched fourth place in the ACC and look to move up in the standings. Sunday afternoon the Tar Heels close out their 2003 ACC schedule hosting Maryland (17-12, 6-8) at 4.

In the latest ACC rankings, junior middle hitter Aletha Green leads the conference with 1.19 blocks per game and is second with a .371 hitting percentage. Senior outside hitter Laura Greene ranks second in digs with 3.77 per game and third in kills with 4.20 per game.

USA Today/AVCA Coaches Poll
School (Points, Record, Last Week)
1. Stanford (1,581, 24-3, 4)
2. USC (1,571 21-1, 2)
3. Hawai'i (1,476, 23-1, 1)
4. Florida (1,448, 24-1, 3)
5. Nebraska (1,399, 22-1, 5)
6. Minnesota (1,279, 26-3, 7)
7. UC Santa Barbara (1,165, 24-1, 6)
8. Northern Iowa (1,157, 26-2, 8)
9. Pepperdine (1,141, 18-6, 10)
10. Long Beach State (1,066, 22-3, 9)
11. Santa Clara (936, 22-3, 11)
12. North Carolina (883, 25-2, 12)
13. Penn State (775, 20-5, 14)
14. Wisconsin (750, 18-7, 13)
15. Eastern Washington (675, 26-1, 15)
16. Arizona (630, 13-9, 16)
17. Washington State (587, 17-7, 17)
18. South Carolina (510, 20-4, 18)
19. UCLA (449, 15-10, 19)
20. Kansas State (295, 17-6, 25)
21. Utah (285, 20-6, 22)
22. Washington (273, 15-8, 21)
23. Georgia Tech (267, 26-5, 24)
24. Missouri (152, 20-6, 20)
25. University of San Diego (77, 22-6, NR)

Others receiving points and listed on two or more ballots: Arizona State (62), Notre Dame (47), California (39), Indiana (32), South Florida (23), Ohio State (15), Arkansas (15), Texas A&M (13), Texas (11), Michigan (11), Fresno State (9), Michigan State (4).