Coming off its best season in program history, the UAA volleyball team landed at No. 14 in Tuesday's American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 preseason poll.
The Seawolves finished 27-3 last season, winning the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title and hosting the NCAA West Regional tournament, where they fell in the second round to Cal State San Bernardino.
UAA opens its 2016 season with an alumni exhibition match at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Alaska Airlines Center.
[Green signs South's Hurd to complete UAA volleyball recruiting class]
The regular season opener will be Aug. 25 at BYU-Hawaii in Laie, Hawaii, and the home opener is slotted for Sept. 1 against Westminster.
Arkansas Fort Smith, which will visit for the SpringHill Suites Invitational and plays the Seawolves in the finale on Sept. 3, is No. 19 in the preseason rankings.
GNAC foe Western Washington checks in at No. 5 in the rankings and nonconference opponents Cal State San Bernardino and Sonoma State check in at Nos. 20 and 24, respectively.
[UAA's 2016 volleyball schedule features formidable foes]
Last season, the Seawolves rose as high as No. 7 in the polls.
UAA returns three starters from last year's squad, which finished No. 13 in the final 2015 AVCA DII poll.
The returning starters are sophomore outside hitter Leah Swiss, senior middle blocker Erin Braun, senior setter Morgan Hooe.
[UAA volleyball merits 3 All-America picks: Mackey, Zanders, Hooe]