Nebraska Remains No. 1 in Latest AVCA Volleyball Top 25 as Florida, Tennessee Climb

Several Ranked Matchups Lead to Jostling in the Week 9 Rankings

Oct 10, 2026; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers middle blocker Andi Jackson (15) gets a kill against Wisconsin Badgers middle blocker Lynney Tarnow (20) during the second set at Bob Devaney Sport Center. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Nebraska remains the top team in college volleyball, but several programs made notable moves in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 poll released Monday, Oct. 26.

The Cornhuskers received all 63 first-place votes to maintain their hold on the No. 1 ranking. Pitt and Louisville also remained in the top three, while Florida climbed one spot to No. 4 and SMU moved up two places to round out the top five.

Tennessee made one of the biggest moves near the top of the poll, climbing three spots to No. 6. BYU also moved into the top 10, while Michigan State entered the rankings at No. 25.

Nebraska, Pitt and Louisville Hold Steady

The top three remained unchanged from last week's poll, with Nebraska, Pitt and Louisville continuing to lead the national rankings.

Nebraska received 63 first-place votes, maintaining a commanding position at the top. Pitt remained at No. 2, while Louisville held the third spot.

Florida moved from No. 5 to No. 4, replacing Kentucky, which fell three positions to No. 7 after getting swept in a championship rematch with Texas A&M this weekend. SMU also moved up two spots, climbing from No. 7 to No. 5.

Wisconsin dropped two places to No. 8 after sitting at No. 6 last week. Tennessee, meanwhile, climbed from No. 9 to No. 6, moving ahead of Kentucky and Wisconsin.

The top 10 is rounded out by BYU at No. 9 and Arizona State at No. 10. BYU improved two spots from last week's No. 11 ranking, while Arizona State dropped two positions from No. 8. The Cougars defeated the Sun Devils this past Saturday, 3 sets to 1.

Penn State, Kansas Make Moves in the Rankings

Penn State and Kansas were among the teams making progress in the middle of the Top 25.

The Nittany Lions climbed three places from No. 16 to No. 13 after ranked wins over Oregon and Indiana this past weekend. Kansas improved two spots, rising from No. 17 to No. 15 after an impressive sweep at TCU.

Texas remained at No. 14, while Oregon slipped from No. 10 to No. 12. TCU also experienced a three-place drop, falling from No. 13 to No. 16.

Texas A&M moved up two positions to No. 17, while Stanford fell three spots to No. 18. Indiana dropped one place to No. 19, with Washington climbing one position to No. 20.

Minnesota slipped from No. 20 to No. 21, while North Carolina moved up one spot to No. 22. Vanderbilt fell one position to No. 23, and Baylor remained at No. 24.

Michigan State Enters the Top 25

Michigan State is the newest addition to the AVCA Top 25, entering at No. 25 after receiving 118 votes in last week's poll without earning a ranking.

Colorado, which was ranked No. 25 last week, fell out of the Top 25. The Buffaloes received 88 votes in the latest poll, leaving them among the teams just outside the rankings.

Illinois received 46 votes, followed by UCLA with 18 and Colorado State with 12. Georgia Tech, Utah and Western Kentucky each received four votes, while Miami earned three.

Full AVCA College Volleyball Top 25 for Oct. 26

1. Nebraska (63 first-place votes)
2. Pitt
3. Louisville
4. Florida
5. SMU
6. Tennessee
7. Kentucky
8. Wisconsin
9. BYU
10. Arizona State
11. Purdue
12. Oregon
13. Penn State
14. Texas
15. Kansas
16. TCU
17. Texas A&M
18. Stanford
19. Indiana
20. Washington
21. Minnesota
22. North Carolina
23. Vanderbilt
24. Baylor
25. Michigan State

Others receiving votes: Colorado (88), Illinois (46), UCLA (18), Colorado State (12), Georgia Tech (4), Utah (4), Western Kentucky (4), Miami (3).

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