The Carthage College men's volleyball team was ranked third in the pre-season American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division III poll. 

2011 Molten Championship winner Nazareth College (13 first-place votes) was ranked first, followed by Molten runner-up Springfield College (2 first-place votes) second, Carthage 1 first-place vote) third, New York University fourth, Juniata College fifth, the University of California-Santa Cruz sixth, Rivier College seventh, the Stevens Institute of Technology eighth, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ninth, Baruch College 10th, Medaille College 11th, Emmanuel College 12th, the State University of New York-New Paltz 13th, Philadelphia Biblical University 14th and Vassar College ranked 15th.
 
The Red Men open their 2012 season on Tuesday, Jan. 17 with a 7 p.m. match versus NCAA Division I Loyola University (Ill., 2-4) at the Joseph J. Gentile Arena in Chicago.  The Ramblers were ranked 14th in the Jan. 9 AVCA NCAA Divisions I-II poll.