Aug. 5, 2009

LOS ANGELES -- The USC women's volleyball team has been ranked No. 12 in the nation by Volleyball Magazine in its 2009 preseason poll. The six-time national champions return 13 letterwinners from last year's squad that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament as the Trojans made their 18th consecutive NCAA appearance. USC has made five NCAA Final Four appearances in the last nine years.

The Women of Troy open the 2009 season at the MSU Showcase in East Lansing, Michigan (Aug. 28-29) where USC will take on host Michigan State, along with North Carolina and Albany (featuring current assistant coach and former USC setter Kimi Freeburg).

Follow all USC home matches this season at the Galen Center on the revamped usctrojans.com with a live, multi-camera video webcast.

Volleyball Magazine Preseason Top 20
1. Penn State
2. Texas
3. Nebraska
4. Washington
5. Stanford
6. California
7. Hawaii
8. Minnesota
9. Florida
10. UCLA
11. Iowa State
12. USC 
13. Illinois
14. Oregon
15. Michigan
16. San Diego
T17. Wichita State
T17. Saint Louis
19. Utah
20. Santa Clara 

Others Receiving Votes: Purdue, Pepperdine, Cal Poly, Kansas State, Kentucky, Long Beach State, Wisconsin, Colorado State, Louisville, Texas A&M, Duke