Nov. 2, 2010

Contact: Adam Samson, NAIA Sports Information and Media Services Intern, asamson@naia.org

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Undefeated Lee (Tenn.) will take over as the top-ranked team, receiving 18 of the possible 24 first-place votes and 678 points. The spot that had been protected by Fresno Pacific (Calif.) for 43-straight weeks has been passed on to a new No. 1 in the Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, the NAIA announced Tuesday. Following the Lady Flames is No. 2 Texas at Brownsville with four first-place votes and 662 points. Fresno Pacific dropped to No. 3 and received two first-place votes for 645 points. Northwestern (Iowa) remains unscathed and at the No. 4 position with 614 points and bouncing into the top five this week is California Baptist with 587 points.

Six teams in the top 10 shuffled in position, with four shifting in a positive direction. In all, 15 teams found themselves with a new rank. No. 24 Bellevue (Neb.) returns to the Top 25, taking the spot of previously-ranked OIivet Nazarene (Ill.), which dropped 11 spots and out of the poll.

Lee is 31-0 overall and 9-0 in the Southern States Athletic Conference. Since 2000, the Lady Flames had occupied the No. 2 spot for seven weeks in 2004 and five weeks this season, but had never claimed the top spot in the rankings. Lee traveled to the Boneyard Brawl hosted by Georgetown (Ky.) Oct. 29-30 and grabbed four victories over opponents ranked or receiving votes in the last poll. The Lady Flames secured a 25-21, 25-22, 14-25, 18-25, 15-8 victory over then-No. 11 Taylor (Ind.) and a 25-14, 25-10, 25-16 sweep of then-No. 24 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.). Lee's last regular season match is scheduled for Friday against Southern Wesleyan (S.C.).

After three top-10 wins, including a victory over then-No. 1 Fresno Pacific, Texas at Brownsville (29-1, 10-0 Red River Athletic Conference) moves up three spots to No. 2. The Scorpions, who's only loss is to the Lady Flames, started the road trip with a 19-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-22 win over then-No. 3 Biola (Calif.) on Oct. 28. In the NAIA Match of the Week, the Scorpions defeated Fresno Pacific in five sets 25-21, 27-25, 14-25, 19-25, 15-9. The upset victory snapped the Sunbirds 65-match winning streak. The Scorpions returned to the court for a 25-22, 25-13, 18-25, 22-25, 15-9 victory over then-No. 10 Concordia (Calif.).

The Sunbirds (25-1, 16-0 Golden State Athletic Conference) started out slow and were never able to recover from the 2-0 deficit that they suffered against Texas at Brownsville. Despite having 67 kills on the day, Fresno Pacific, who is second in the NAIA in hitting percentage at .322, was held to a .205 attack percentage. Head coach Dennis Janzen and his Sunbirds were riding the nation's longest active winning streak in college volleyball at any level before the Scorpions defeated them. It also ended a 91-match regular season winning streak that dated back to October of 2007. Fresno Pacific continues its regular season at No. 8 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) on Tuesday and at home with No. 5 California Baptist on Saturday.

With Fresno Pacific's loss, No. 4 Northwestern (31-0) is the only other undefeated team. The Red Raiders outlasted No. 15 Dordt (Iowa) 25-19, 25-22, 18-25, 23-25, 15-12 on Oct. 28 and made history with its next win. Northwestern broke the conference record by winning its 57th straight GPAC regular-season match and defeating Nebraska Wesleyan 25-18, 25-17, 21-25, 28-25 on Oct. 30. The record was previously held by Dordt from 2002-06. The Red Raiders have a shot at ending the regular season unbeaten with just one match left against Sioux Falls (S.D.) on Tuesday.

California Baptist (26-4, 13-3 GSAC) returns to the top five after a win over then-No 3. Biola on Oct. 30. With the 25-15, 18-25, 25-18, 26-24 upset win, the Lancers moved into a tie with the Eagles for second place in the GSAC. Ingrid Carmona had a double-double and paved the way for the Lancers in their win over Biola with 23 kills and 16 digs. Up next is The Master's (Calif.) on Tuesday, before heading to Fresno, Calif., to take on the Sunbirds Saturday.

Thirteen conferences are represented in the Top 25, with the GSAC leading all leagues with six ranked schools. Four of the six rank in the top-10 including: Fresno Pacific, California Baptist, Biola and Azusa Pacific. The GPAC has the second-most schools present with three: Northwestern, No. 15 Dordt and No. 17 Doane (Neb.).

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences/independent/unaffiliated groups. The next poll will be announced on Nov. 9.

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2010 Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 Poll - Week 9

Others receiving votes: Indiana Wesleyan 101; Wayland Baptist (Texas) 95; Georgetown (Ky.) 53; Viterbo (Wis.) 50; Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) 45; Shawnee State (Ohio) 41; Carroll (Mont.) 38; College of the Ozarks (Mo.) 28; Indiana East 20; Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 16; Walsh (Ohio) 12; Grand View (Iowa) 11; Asbury (Ky.) 9; Westmont (Calif.) 3; Shorter (Ga.) 3; Campbellsville (Ky.) 1; Hastings (Neb.) 1; Oklahoma City 1.