2019 AMERICAN VOLLEYBALL RELEASE - OCTOBER 15
CINCINNATI, HOUSTON STILL LEAD THE PACK
Cincinnati and Houston each remained atop their respective divisions of the American Athletic Conference following week three of league play. The Bearcats lead the East Division with a perfect 6-0 mark, while the Cougars check in with a matching 6-0 record in front of the West Division. UCF is one game behind Cincinnati at 5-1 in the East Division, with Tulsa, Tulane and SMU in second place (4-2) chasing Houston in the West Division.
THE AMERICAN RISES IN THE LATEST RPI
A total of seven American Athletic Conference teams are ranked among the top 100 in the second release of the NCAA RPI that was posted as of matches played Oct. 13. Cincinnati checked in at the top of The American with the 28th overall ranking. The Bearcats own the 66th-best strength of schedule in the nation on the strength of four wins against the national top 50. UCF ranked 29th in the most recent NCAA RPI release, with the team’s 21st-ranked strength of schedule tops in The American.
FOUR TEAMS RED-HOT AS AMERICAN PLAY HEATS UP
Four different teams enter the weekend of Oct. 18 riding winning streaks of three matches or more. Houston, at 12-9 overall, has claimed seven straight contests to stake its claim to the top of the West Division (6-0). Cincinnati has won six in a row to push its record to 14-4 and the lead in the East Division (6-0). SMU has won its last four starts to improve to 11-5 overall and take over second place in the West Division (4-2), while UCF has claimed three in a row to improve to 12-6 and keep pace with Cincinnati in the East Division (5-1).
WHERE THE AMERICAN SITS IN THE NATIONAL RANKS
In the sixth full release of NCAA Division I statistics for the 2019 season on Oct. 13, Houston was slotted first in total team attacks, second in team blocks and digs, and third in team kills and team assists; Cincinnati ranked first in assists per set and kills per set, ranking fifth in hitting percentage and aces per set; UCF ranked seventh in total team blocks and eight in blocks per set; and Tulane was fourth in total blocks. Individually Cincinnati’s Jordan Thompson was first in points, points per set, kills per set and total kills, ranking fourth in attacks per set. Houston’s Katie Karbo was second in total digs, with Tulsa’s Taylor Horsfall fourth in that same statistical category. Cincinnati’s Armania Heckenmueller ranked second in assists per set, while Tulane’s Kayla Dinkins was slotted second and Houston’s Rachel Tullos fifth in total blocks.