MVB: Gauchos slotted at No. 4 in preseason NCAA ranking

UCSB’s men’s volleyball team, coming off an 18-9 season, is ranked No. 4 in the NCAA.

Coming off the most successful regular season in the tenure of seventh-year head coach Rick McLaughlin, the UC Santa Barbara men’s volleyball team is being picked to do big things in the 2015 season.

The squad was ranked No. 4 in the AVCA Division I-II Preseason Poll, it was announced this week, while today the MPSF Coaches Poll had the Gauchos finishing second in the ultra-competitive conference.

UCSB’s No. 4 ranking is the second highest preseason ranking in program history (2001: No. 3). In three other seasons (1986, 1989, 1996), the Gauchos were tabbed as the No. 4 team in the country in that season’s first poll, though a preseason poll was not conducted until 2000.

The second-highest ranked MPSF team behind No. 1 Pepperdine, the Gauchos were also picked by MPSF Coaches to finish second in the conference. UCSB received 98 points in the poll, only second to the Waves, who received 11 of 12 first place votes. It is the highest preseason coaches poll ranking for the Gauchos under McLaughlin.

The Gauchos finished 18-9 in the 2014 season, setting a program record for conference wins (16) and hosting their first home playoff match since 2007. UCSB will be led by a strong core of returners this year, including All-American setter Jonah Seif, productive outside hitter Weston Nielsen, and All-MPSF middle blocker Jake Staahl.

UCSB starts its 2015 season on Jan. 8 with a 4:00 p.m. match against St. Francis. The team will then host the 51st annual UCSB Asics Invitational on Jan. 9 & 10.

AVCA’S NCAA PRESEASON TOP-15