The Northern Iowa volleyball squad is set to start its 2007 season on the outside looking in, in regard to the Division I coaches poll.

The Panthers received 29 points in the CSTV/AVCA preseason volleyball poll released Tuesday, putting them 10th among teams that didn't make the Top 25. However, UNI received the most votes among Missouri Valley Conference teams

Nebraska, which ended UNI's 2006 campaign in the NCAA tournament, topped the national poll, while Iowa State earned 39 points and didn't make the Top 25.

UNI finished 28-8 a year ago and went 16-2 in league play en route to winning both the MVC regular season and postseason titles. This year, the Panthers return five starters from their 2006 team, which ranked 13th in the nation in blocking.

Head coach Bobbi Petersen and her Panthers open their schedule Aug. 24 when they host the UNI Invitational at the McLeod Center in a field that includes Wright State, Western Michigan and Kentucky.

CSTV/AVCA Preseason Top 25

Rnk School '06 Rec. Pvs.

1. Nebraska 33-1 1

2. Stanford 30-4 2

3. Penn State 32-3 5

4. Texas 24-7 7

5. UCLA 33-4 3

6. USC 27-5 8

7. Florida 30-3 10

8. Washington 29-5 4

9. Minnesota 26-8 6

10. Hawaii 29-6 9

11. Wisconsin 26-7 11

12. California 22-10 13

13. Purdue 23-11 18

14. Cal Poly 23-6 17

15. San Diego 26-6 14

16. Ohio State 25-8 16

17. BYU 25-6 20

18. Duke 29-4 22

19. Long Beach St. 26-6 NR

20. Missouri 18-13 21

21. Utah 28-4 15

22. Oklahoma 26-5 12

23. LSU 26-6 19

24. Santa Clara 20-8 NR

25. Ohio 28-5 25

Also receiving votes: Lousiville 157, Pepperdine 126, New Mexico State 104, Notre Dame 86, Colorado State 76, Colorado 63, Arizona 44, Iowa State 39, Michigan 31, UNI 29.