Colorado State ranked 18th in volleyball poll

Three opponents scheduled to face the CSU volleyball team are ranked in the top 25, with two in the top 10.

Coming off a 28-2 season and a Mountain West title, the Rams are ranked 18th in the first American Volleyball Coaches Association poll of the season, which was released Monday. It’s the highest preseason ranking for Colorado State University since 2011, when the Rams began the year No. 15.

The highest ranked opponent on CSU’s schedule is Wisconsin. The Badgers lost to preseason No. 1 Penn State in the title match last season and enter this season ranked No. 6. CSU hosts Wisconsin at 7 p.m. Sept. 6.

BYU is ranked No. 9 and the Rams play the Cougars Sept. 12 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. No. 25 Arizona State hosts CSU on Sept. 19.

“This is one of the tougher schedules that we’ve ever had,” coach Tom Hilbert said after CSU’s first day of practice Monday. “I want to play good people. It can’t hurt us. What will hurt us is if we don’t win the matches we should win. We could be a .500 team in nonconference and be better than we were last year.”

The Rams finished 2013 ranked No. 21 after opening the season on a 27-game winning streak before losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

CSU is the only Mountain West team in the rankings. New Mexico received nine votes, and two other CSU opponents — Marquette and UC Santa Barbara — received votes in the poll.

CSU opens its season Aug. 30 with home matches against VCU (1 p.m.) and UC Santa Barbara (7:30 p.m.).

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle at twitter.com/Kevin_Lytle and at facebook.com/KevinSLytle.

2014 CSU volleyball season

Ranking: No. 18 in AVCA preseason coaches poll.

Last year: Finished 28-2, won Mountain West title before losing to Cal State Northridge in first round of NCAA tournament.

Key losses: Middle blocker Sam Peters (graduated), outside hitter Kaila Thomas (medically disqualified, concussions), outside hitter Michelle Lawrence (transfer).

First matches: 1 p.m. Aug. 30 vs. VCU at Moby Arena... 7:30 p.m. Aug. 30 vs. UC Santa Barbara at Moby Arena.