Fresno Pacific will begin the 2010 season at number one in the NAIA poll, a spot it has held for 35 consecutive weeks. The Sunbirds return all but two players from a 38-0 team that captured the school’s third consecutive national title.
FPU, which has won 110 of its last 112 matches including 41 in a row, secured all 19 first place votes. The Sunbirds were followed in the rankings by conference rivals Concordia and California Baptist, who come in at #2 and #3 respectively.
The GSAC also features #6 Biola, #9 Azusa Pacific and #14 Point Loma Nazarene, giving it six teams in the top 25. In the final poll of 2009, four of the top five and seven of the top 15 teams came from the GSAC.
Other ranked teams on the Sunbirds schedule this season include #8 Texas-Brownsville, #13 Southern Oregon and #25 Carroll College.
FPU is led by returning NAIA All-Americans Martina Gregusova, Lisa Shilling and Keke Wang. They also bring back GSAC dig-leader Mariah Mandelbaum, outside hitter Michelle Johnson, and setters Emily Carroll and Erica Adachi.
The Sunbirds are looking to become the first team since BYU-Hawaii (1994-97) to win four consecutive NAIA titles. FPU is also seeking its 11th straight GSAC title and eighth consecutive undefeated season at home.
View the complete rankings here.
Get to know your 2010 Sunbirds! Complete player bios and pictures are posted on the roster page.