Tampa Concludes Season at No. 2 in Final AVCA Poll
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Following a season where it advanced all the way to the NCAA Division II national championship match, the University of Tampa finished the year at No. 2 in the final American Volleyball Coaches Association of America (AVCA) national poll.
The Spartans were ranked in the top-10 for the entire 2012 season and are coming off the program's third consecutive NCAA South Regional title while also winning the eighth straight Sunshine State Conference crown.
Six-time defending national champions Concordia-St. Paul finishes at No. 1 as the Golden Bears received all 32 first-place votes following a 33-4 campaign. Following CSP and Tampa is Nebraska-Kearney, BYU-Hawaii and Minnesota-Duluth.
The Spartans represent the only Sunshine State Conference program ranked in the top 25. NCAA South Region foe West Florida comes in at No. 20 as Palm Beach Atlantic is No. 25. 2012 opponents Central Missouri (8), West Texas A&M (9), Colorado School of Mines (11), Indianapolis (12), Regis (13) and Wheeling Jesuit (17) are all ranked, as West Florida and Palm Beach Atlantic also appeared on the Spartan schedule for two matches apiece. UT was a combined 8-3 against those opponents in 2012.
Head coach Chris Catanach has coached his Spartan squad to 229 consecutive weeks in the top-25, marking the second-longest active streak in the nation to Central Missouri.
Tampa finished the year with a 32-4 record and perfect 16-0 showing in SSC play. The Spartans enjoyed a successful run through the NCAA tournament as they only dropped a total of three sets in six matches. UT also posted straight-set sweeps in the national quarterfinals and semifinals against ranked opponents on the national stage.
After recording the program's 1,000 win on Oct. 10 at Eckerd, coach Catanach also won his 900th career match in a Nov. 14 win over Eckerd. Catanach is second among active NCAA Division II coaches and also ranks eighth across all NCAA ranks.
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