With a national-best 18 wins and a 3-0 mark in SEC play, the Mizzou volleyball team is ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Poll, at No. 25 nationally. The Tigers are one of three SEC teams ranked in the top 25, joining Florida (2nd) and Kentucky (15th). This marks the first time since Dec. 21, 2010, that Mizzou has been ranked in the AVCA Top 25. That year, Mizzou finished the season ranked 22nd after advancing to the Sweet 16.
The Tigers currently lead the nation with 18 wins and are one of three unbeaten teams nationally, joining No. 10 North Carolina and No. 13 Colorado State. The Tigers have a national-low three sets lost this season and trail only American (55) with their 54 set wins this season. The Tigers will look to go to 19-0 tomorrow night against Austin Peay, which would match their school record for wins to open a season. Mizzou is also 3-0 in league play for the first time since 2005.
Mizzou volleyball senior and two-time All-American Lisa Henning (Blue Springs, Mo.) has been named SEC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time in her career, as announced by the league office on Monday (Oct. 7). The award for Henning is the fourth weekly conference honor of her career and first this season. She is the second Tiger to earn the award this season after classmate Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.) earned the distinction on Sept. 9. Henning averaged 5.86 points per set on .309 hitting last week in a pair of SEC wins over Arkansas and Auburn.
“I was actually surprised to get this award,” Henning said. “We have had such great balance all season and every win has really been a team effort, so I think for me to be honored individually is just recognition of what our team accomplished last week and what it has done so far this season. Ultimately, these awards are great but we have our sights set on much bigger goals and those will take a complete team effort all season. We have a tough week ahead, so we are just focused on that right now.”
The Tigers will look to match their school record for wins to open a season as Austin Peay comes to the Hearnes Center at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
