LEXINGTON, Ky. – The MSU Denver volleyball team is ranked No. 4 in the country in NCAA Division II in the AVCA preseason poll.

The rating is MSU Denver's highest-ever in a preseason poll and is the program's first top-10 preseason rating since landing at No. 6 in 1994.
 
The Roadrunners received one first-place vote and 965 poll points.
 
Defending national champion Tampa (Fla.) and defending national runner-up Washburn (Kan.) were picked Nos. 1-2 in the poll.
 
MSU Denver, which finished 28-4 overall and was No. 3 in the final NCAA Division II poll after reaching the South Central Regional final, was picked to win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference again this season after going 18-0 in league play last year.
 
MSU Denver returns much of its key personnel from last season, headlined by All-America first team outside hitter Rylee Hladky, who was the regional player of the year and RMAC Player of the Year last season while leading the league in points (513), points per set (4.3), kills (428), kills per set (3.6) and service aces (53) and ranking second in aces per set (0.44).
 
Also returning is All-RMAC first team middle blocker Ember Canty and All-RMAC second team libero Ashlyn Cianciulli, while middle blocker Mikayla McClinton and setter Amela Qershia have also received All-RMAC recognition.
 
Key losses include all-region outside hitter Avaline Lai and All-RMAC outside hitter Alexis Benda, but the Roadrunners have added all-region outside hitter Kelsey Gordon from Division II national runner-up Washburn (Kan.) and Division I transfer Maddy Lindsay, a former America East Conference freshman of the year. And continuing to develop are outside hitters Riley Anderson and Kaylee Corsentino, both key contributors last year.
 
MSU Denver opens the season Aug. 25 at the Cougar Classic, playing four matches in two days at the event hosted by Cal State San Marcos.
 
The Roadrunners' home opener comes during the power-packed Sept. 2 and 3 Colorado Premier Challenge, and matches Sept. 2 are against No. 12 Northwest Missouri State and No. 13 Angelo State (Texas).