Rice University Athletics
Rice Volleyball Sports Final RPI Ranking of 37
1/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Jan. 5, 2010
The final NCAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) for volleyball has been released and the Rice Owls achieved their highest final mark by finishing 37th, the highest in Conference USA, out of 330 institutions.
Final Conference USA 2009 RPI Rankings
Rice 37
Tulane 38
Southern Miss 56
Tulsa 62
SMU 73
Marshall 80
UAB 130
UCF 174
Houston 192
UTEP 202
Memphis 239
East Carolina 240
Furthermore, Rice finished 2009 nationally-ranked in several team and individual categories. Junior setter Meredith Schamun finished fifth in assists per set at 11.95 and junior libero Tracey Lam ranked ninth in digs per set (5.50). As a team, the Owls were third in the nation in assists per set (13.92), third in kills per set (14.91), sixth in digs per set (18.10), 47th in hitting percentage (.243), and 47th in winning percentage (23-9, .719).
Rice, under sixth-year head coach Genny Volpe, posted a 23-9 record in 2009 and won its first-ever Conference USA Volleyball Championship. The Owls also played in the NCAA Championship for the second-consecutive year and third time overall. 2010 looks to be just as promising as Rice returns three starters from the 2009 squad including All-Conference USA First Team players, Schamun, Lam, and sophomore Ashleigh McCord, the squad's top outside hitter at 3.92 kills per set.
