The defending national champion Cougars received the top spot in this year’s NJCAA Division I Preseason Poll, which was released on Wednesday afternoon.
For fourth-year WNCC coach Giovana Melo, the initial ranking wasn’t a surprise based on last year’s successful finish.
“I am not shocked because we finished first [last year] and have some pretty good returning players,” Melo said. “But I didn’t expect to be first.”
Melo said the ranking puts a bit of added pressure on her young and talented squad as it continues to prepare for the upcoming season.
“That ranking does put a lot of pressure on us, but it is good pressure,” Melo said. “They have showed [so far in practice] that we can be a talented team, but now they have to show how they will do after seeing that they are ranked No. 1. That national ranking definitely puts some pressure on them.”
Being ranked No. 1 is nothing new for the Cougars. However, this is the first time in history that WNCC has been ranked No. 1 entering a season. The Cougars were preseason ranked No. 2 in 2009 and No. 3 in 2005. Last year the Cougars entered the season at No. 5.
WNCC held the No. 1 ranking during the regular season on a couple of different occasions under former coach Chris Green before winning the school’s first national championship in 2007.
WNCC sophomore Dani Grace, who transferred in last spring after playing a semester at Lamar Community College, said many of the team members were elated and cautious when they first learned of the No. 1 ranking after the conclusion of Wednesday’s practice.
“I was actually shocked and I didn’t know that we would be that high. But at the same time, it is exciting,” the sophomore from Hawaii said. “I believe we can do it [win another national title] again with the way our team is progressing right now.”
Two other Region IX teams joined WNCC in the top 15 of the preseason rankings. Western Wyoming Community College is No. 3 and Northeastern Junior College is ranked No. 13. Casper College received honorable mention votes.
Western Wyoming, which is from the Region IX North Sub-Region, finished third at the national tournament last year. The Mustangs were one of the few teams to hand WNCC a loss last season. That took place last September during the Wyo-Braska Shootout in Scottsbluff.
Sandwiched between WNCC and Western Wyoming at No. 2 in the national rankings is Miami Dade College. Iowa Western Community College is No. 4 and College of Southern Idaho is No. 5.
Rounding out the top 10 is Blinn College at No. 6, Salt Lake Community College at No. 7, Midland College at No. 8, San Jacinto College at No. 9 and Eastern Arizona College at No. 10.
The Cougars beat Blinn, Salt Lake and San Jacinto on its way to the national championship last year.
WNCC has won 12 straight Region IX South Sub-Region titles and has advanced to the national tournament 12 years in a row. The Cougars have finished in the top four at nationals in four of the past seven seasons.
While being recognized as a national power is a nice honor, Melo said it makes it that much tougher to stay near the top every year.
“Obviously, to be a national power is something fun to be part of. But every team is different and every year is a different year, so we have to take it one step at a time to stay up there,” Melo said. “It is great to be a national power, but you never know what the next year will turn out like and it is harder to stay a powerhouse every year.”
WNCC opens its regular season Aug. 26-27 at the Iowa Western Classic in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The Cougars’ first home match will be on Sept. 8 against Eastern Wyoming College.
NJCAA Division I Volleyball Pre-season Poll
1. Western Nebraska Community College (43-4)
2. Miami Dade College
3. Western Wyoming Community College (40-7)
4. Iowa Western Community College
5. College of Southern Idaho
6. Blinn College
7. Salt Lake Community College
8. Midland College
9. San Jacinto College-Central
10. Eastern Arizona College
11. Arizona Western College
12. Florida State College at Jacksonville
13. Northeastern Junior College (30-8)
14. Temple College
15. Jefferson College
16. Barton Community College
17. North Idaho College
18. Seward County Community College
19. Seminole State College
20. Yavapai College
21. Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
22. Hillsborough Community College
23. Panola College
24. Snow College
25. State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota
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