American Volleyball Coaches Association

The first serve between the Illini and the Bruins is set for 6 o'clock on Big Ten+.

Thursday's contest begins a stretch of four straight matches against teams either ranked or receiving votes in the November 2nd AVCA poll.

And finally...

Illinois is set for its final opportunity to qualify for the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships and the ITA Central Sectional Championship from Waco, Texas this weekend.

So very timely read.

All right, well, some sunshine is that Nebraska is 23-0, 12-0, number one in that AVCA poll.

And they also passed Pitt in that RPI as well.

Yeah, so despite a couple of losses, they continue to plug along.

I don't know.

It's kind of at this point now where they just have to focus again focus on themselves and take whatever teaching points they can get out of these matches when maybe they aren't playing their best and figure out all right how do we kind of prevent this how do we get better from this uh because again we're kind of in the final stretch we're not quite there yet like kind of in the dog days of the season where something can jump up and get you so they have to make sure that they're continuing to to work to focus on the process and to maintain the standard that's gotten to this point

When you look at that AVCA poll, what stands out the most, especially amongst the Big Ten?

Well, it's just interesting how the Big Ten just kind of keeps moving around, jumping up and down like they keep beating each other.

What?

Notably, Louisville dropping to seven from their AVCA consistent ranking of three all season.

TCU, who just consistency is not in their vocabulary, eight.

Well, and in fairness, this is generally the time where the wheels fall off and burn for TCU.

Okay.

And then Shaylee Myers, outside hitter, first ever AVCA region player of the year for K State volleyball, and she was first team All-Big 12 in 2025-

Okay

... as well.

All right.

Women's volleyball moved up three spots in this week's AVCA poll to number 11.

Cougars are the second highest ranked Big 12 team and have won 12 straight matches.

They are on a tear.

... to look at it in that lens.

Um, coach, last week, uh, Payton was named to the, uh, uh, was added to the, uh, National Player of the Year Mid-Season, uh, watch list or whatever for the AVCA, and I, I just marvel every time you w- turn on your, you know, anybody talks about her or they, you know, and then, and then it's kind of like if I was a normal fan and I was just turning it on, I'd be like, "Yeah, they just, they just screwed that up.

This is only her 15th game and playing this position."

[laughs]

... over year.

Um, and so I think it's a huge credit to him of the, the talent that we've been able to bring into this cr- uh, you know, to the program here to have three players identified as potentially the best player at the end of the year.

And that, uh, by the way, for those out there, that player of the year list is by the AVCA, so it's, uh, it's the, uh, uh, the coach association.

So it's the one...