Weekend Sweep Lifts Cougars in Polls

PROVO -- After a pair of four-game victories over No. 15 Pacific on Friday and Saturday, the BYU men's volleyball team climbed all the way to No. 2 in the Volleyball Magazine Poll, and gained one spot in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches' Top-15 Poll.

Now 3-1 on the season, the Cougars earned one first-place vote in the coaches' poll to move from No. 6 to No. 5, while cruising past Stanford, Hawaii and Penn State in the Volleyball Magazine Poll.

UCLA took over the top spot in both polls after defeating formerly top-ranked Penn State and No. 3 Hawaii in Honolulu over the weekend. With losses to UCLA and Hawaii, the Nittany Lions dropped from No. 1 in both polls to No. 7 in the coaches' poll and No. 5 in the Volleyball Magazine top-10 poll.

The Cougars will defend their new rankings by taking on No. 12 USC (3-3) on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 25-26, in the Smith Fieldhouse. First serve for both matches is scheduled for 7 p.m. (MST).

Friday's match will be broadcast live on both KBYU and BYU-TV. Chris Tunis will call the action, with Chris McGown lending expert analysis.

Volleyball Magazine Poll
No  School              Record	
1   UCLA                5-1	
2   BYU                 3-1	
3   Stanford            3-1	
4   Hawaii              3-2	
5   Penn State	        2-2	
6   UC Santa Barbara    5-0	
7   Pepperdine          6-2	
8   UC Irvine           2-2	
9   Loyola-Chicago      2-1	
10  Ball State          4-0
USA Today/AVCA Coaches' Top-15 Poll
No.	School	      Record	
1    UCLA               5-1	
2    Stanford           3-1	
3    Pepperdine         6-2	
4    Hawaii             3-2	
5    BYU                3-1	
6    UC Santa Barbara	   5-0	
7    Penn State         2-2	
8    UC Irvine          2-2	
9    Ball State         4-0	
10   Loyola-Chicago     2-1	
11   Lewis              0-3	
12   USC                3-3	
13   Ohio State         2-1	
14   Long Beach State	   2-5	
15   CS Northridge      3-2