Western Kentucky celebrates a point during their win in 3 sets against Austin Peay on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015, at Diddle Arena. (Austin Anthony / photo@bgdailynews.com)

Defending Conference USA champion and preseason C-USA favorite Western Kentucky appeared at No. 22 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason poll released by the organization on Wednesday.

The Lady Toppers ended last season at No. 22 as well and are the only C-USA school to receive points in the poll. WKU enters the season ranked in the AVCA poll for just the second time in program history, first appearing prior to the start of the 2013 season at No. 21.

Coach Travis Hudson’s Lady Toppers are second only to Penn State nationally in number of total wins over the last five seasons, 153 to Penn State’s 156. WKU has gone to four NCAA Tournaments, won five conference championships and featured eight AVCA All-America selections since 2011 while posting the fourth-best winning percentage (86.4-percent) over that span.

Going back even further, WKU has won 12 regular-season conference championships since 2000 with runs of seven-straight (2000-06) and a current streak of five-straight (2011-15).

The Lady Toppers return a pair of All-Americans in Alyssa Cavanaugh as well as preseason C-USA Player of the Year Jessica Lucas. Hudson and his 2016 Lady Toppers begin their season Aug. 26 in Athens, Ohio at the Bobcat Invitational.