AAU Sullivan Award winner
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team unseated Brazil from the top position in the FIVB world ranking following the conclusion of the FIVB World Cup in which Team USA finished with the silver medal.
Team USA finished second to Brazil at the 2008 Olympic Games, and through the results of the past three years, has finally taken the top spot from Brazil after four years. Among the key results for the U.S. in the past two years alone affecting the rankings are gold medals at the 2010 and 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix, the gold medal at the 2011 NORCECA Continental Championship, silver medal at the recently completed FIVB World Cup in which the Americans earned a spot into the 2012 Olympic Games and a fourth-place finish at the 2010 FIVB World Championship.
The U.S. finished the 2011 season with a 39-10 record, improving on last year’s 28-13 mark. U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand ) holds an 85-37 in his three years guiding the program after taking it over in 2009.
The U.S. now has 285 points in the world ranking, or 20 more than second-place Brazil. Japan, which defeated the U.S. on the final day of the FIVB World Cup preventing them from earning the gold medal, moved up one spot to third place in the world ranking with its fourth place finish in the World Cup. Italy, the 2011 FIVB World Cup champions, climbed three places to fourth and Japan one place to third.
China moved up one notch to fifth place. Russia was the biggest losers in the top 10 after failing to qualify for the World Cup, which resulted in a shift of three places into a sixth-place tie with Serbia, who also fell a spot. Germany’s jumped one spot to eighth after a sixth-place finish at the World Cup. Cuba is ranked ninth, while Dominican Republic rose four spots into a 10th-place tie with Turkey after earning eighth place at the World Cup.
FIVB Ranking – Team and Points (Position Change from Last Ranking)
1. USA 285 (up 1)
2. Brazil 265 (down 1)
3. Japan 228.5 (up 1)
4. Italy 217.5 (up 3)
5. China 198 (up 1)
6T. Russia 167.5 (down 3)
6T. Serbia 167.5 (down 1)
8. Germany 121.5 (up 1)
9. Cuba 94 (down 1)
10T. Turkey 78.5 (even)
10T. Dominican Republic 78.5 (up 4)
12. Poland 69.5 (down 1)
13. Thailand 68.5 (down 1)
14. Korea 63 (down 1)
15. Kenya 56.5 (even)
16. Algeria 53.5 (up 1)
17. Peru 49.5 (down 1)
18. Argentina 42 (up 2)
19T. Netherlands 39 (down 1)
19T. Puerto Rico 39 (down 1)
21. Kazakhstan 32.5 (even)
22. Canada 31.5 (even)
23. Czech Republic 30 (even)
24. Egypt 30 (even)
25. Mexico 28.5 (even)
