First-Place Volleyball Moves Up To No. 23

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Miamivolleyball team bumped up one spot to No. 23 in the American Volleyball CoachesAssociation (AVCA) Top 25 this week, the organization announced Monday. TheCanes have now appeared in the national poll five times this season and willface No. 12 Florida State Friday at 1 p.m. for the Atlantic Coast Conferencechampionship.

Miami(25-4, 17-2), who has won 15 of the last 16, defeated the Seminoles (26-3,17-2) in four sets Sept. 7 in the first meeting between the teams. The match onFriday will be broadcast live by ESPN3, as the Canes will be looking to earntheir first ACC title.

“Itis going to be fun – Florida State is a great team and we know that,” headcoach Nicole Lantagne Welch said. “We had a great match with them earlier inthe year and we are going to expect their best on Friday. In order to win, wewill have to play at our very best. It is setting up for a great situation;everyone in our program is looking forward to it.”

Mostrecently, the Canes swept both Boston College and Maryland over the weekend to finisha perfect 13-0 at home.

TheNo. 23 ranking ties for the highest mark this season for UM, reaching that highalso on Oct. 29. The program has a 7-1 record as a ranked team this year.

No.25 North Carolina joins the Hurricanes and Seminoles as ranked ACC teams.

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