LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 31) – For the first time in program history, the University of Mount Olive men's volleyball program debuted at No. 20 overall in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Collegiate Poll, as announced by the organization on Monday afternoon.

The Trojans hold an impressive 18-2 overall record behind a 16-match winning streak, which is the longest in program history. Mount Olive recently won their fifth Conference Carolinas Regular Season Championship and boasts a perfect 13-0 mark in the league play with two matches remaining on the schedule ahead of the postseason. The Trojans rank among the top five in NCAA Division I in opponent hitting percentage (0.182), kills per set (13.09), digs per set (10.11), and winning percentage (.900).

Individually, freshman Luca Colombo paces the nation with 3.12 digs per set while reaching double-digit digs 12 times. Junior Jackson Lahey ranks third in NCAA Division I with 10.77 assists per set and senior Holden Maryott sits third overall with a .490 hitting percentage.

For an 11-straight week, Long Beach State remain the top ranks program in the country with 21-first place votes behind a 21-1 overall mark. UCLA continues to sit second in the poll and received the final two first-place nods with a 16-3 record. Southern California (18-2) is No. 3 overall while UC Irvine (15-5) and Hawai'I (21-2) round out the top five in the rankings.

The Trojans will face-off in Top-20 matchup versus No. 17 Lincoln Memorial this Saturday, April 5, in Kornegay Arena at 2 p.m.