Moraga, CA - The Saint Mary's women's volleyball team has cracked the list of the nation's top-25 volleyball programs.  When the American Volleyball Coaches Association released its list of top-25 teams earlier today, the Gaels were ranked No. 25 in the country, with 82 votes.

"It's always nice to be recognized for your hard work and performance," said head coach Rob Browning.  "We know we are a good team, but we also know that the teams we're playing against are good.  While it's nice to be in the top-25, the only thing we are really focused on is preparing to play as well as we possibly can on Thursday."

The Gaels have been on the cusp of cracking into the top-25 all season.  Saint Mary's has been receiving votes for the past six weeks, and kicked off the season receiving votes in the pre-season poll.  The last time Saint Mary's was in the AVCA Top-25 was on September 19, 2005, when the Gaels were ranked No. 21.

The Gaels return to the hardwood on Thursday, November 5, when SMC travels to San Francisco, CA to play the host Dons of San Francisco at the War Memorial Gym for a crucial WCC showdown.  The match is scheduled for a 7:00 PM start.

For a complete list of the AVCA Top-25 Click Here: