Last week, 52 out of 60 coaches voted the Penn State women's volleyball team No. 1 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll, but Nittany Lions coach Russ Rose was not one of them.
Rose, in his 30th season at Penn State, said he doesn't put a lot of stake in polls, especially those that come out before a game is even played.
"People don't really know," Rose said. "I think the people that vote voted for the same teams that were in the top 25 last year."
As for his own team, Rose said this group has a lot to prove before he can consider it the top team in the country.
While the coach did not say which team he voted No. 1, he did say they're a few teams who are in a better position than the Lions right now.
"There's a lot of teams in the country who have their entire starting lineup coming back, or who only graduated one player," Rose said. "Certainly those teams in my mind are gonna be way ahead of where we are at the start of the race."
The Lions graduated three players from last year's National Championship team, and Rose feels they need to get the younger players some experience. He has made it known to his players what needs to be done this year in order to make sure they are deserving of the top spot, he said.
"I've certainly identified to them that for them to be successful, they need to be aware of what we're not capable of doing," Rose said. "What we have to do is look at the players we do have and try to maximize the strengths of the returning players."
The coach did acknowledge, though, that the No. 1 ranking brings an added element to the game. Teams will not only be trying to win, but also knock off the top team in the country.
Redshirt junior Blair Brown said that added incentive will have teams across the country gunning for the Lions, but the team is focusing on getting prepared for the long season ahead.
"Sure you have that target on your back, but I think its important to come into practice with a mentality that you want to get better no matter where you're ranked," Brown said. "We have to focus a lot on getting better everyday in the gym, improving our game everyday because there is that target on our backs."
Brown added that the players are not letting the ranking get into their heads. As for the coach, he knows that being No. 1 in the preseason doesn't guarantee anything.
"Being preseason No. 1 doesn't mean you're gonna end the season No. 1," Rose said. "So I look at it as it's a long season and we have a number of things that we need to work on, and we have the full season to see if we are deserving of being held in that high esteem."
Penn State opens its season Friday as the Lions travel to St. Louis to take on Miami (OH) in the Active Ankle Challenge.
