Volleyball Climbs Rankings to No. 11
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Miami volleyball now holds the highest ranking in program history.
The Hurricanes check in at No. 11 in the country in the American Volleyball Coaches Association rankings released on Wednesday afternoon. Miami climbed one spot after going 1-1 on the road at Clemson.
This is the 17th time in program history the Canes have been ranked. Teams from the ACC, Big 12, SEC and the Sun Belt are eligible for the AVCA Fall Coaches Poll this season.
“We know the challenges this season has put among all teams in the NCAA and are fortunate our conference and administration gave us the opportunity to compete this season,” head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara said. “We are proud and appreciate the recognition and respect all the teams on the list as well.”
Miami ranks fifth in the ACC and has played the most matches of those five teams. Janice Leao’s .495 hitting percentage ranks fourth in the conference and Elizaveta Lukianova’s kills per set (4.46) places third. Lukianova leads the conference with 116 kills and has the two highest single-match kill totals in the league this season.
Sophomore setter Savannah Vach continues to lead the Canes and the ACC with 284 assists, which ranks eighth in the NCAA. Miami paces the conference in kills (339), assists (315), blocks (57) and aces (39).
Miami hosts rival Florida State on Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. and Oct. 16 at 3 p.m. for the final two fall matches of the 2020 season. The Seminoles enter Thursday’s match with an 0-2 record.
“Going into the FSU this week at No. 11 is such an awesome feeling,” Vach said. “These are the first matches all season where we will actually know some information about our opponent before playing them, so we will be coming in prepared with some awesome and adaptive wins in our pocket, putting us at No. 11. We all love playing FSU. They’re our rivals so we’re pumped and hoping to keep climbing the rankings.”
