By Katie Green, Manager of Athletics Communications and Media

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Grand View (Iowa) claims the No. 1 rank in the second edition of the NAIA Men’s Volleyball Coaches’ Top 10 Poll, the national office announced on Tuesday.

Top 10 Highlights:

-Grand View opened the 2018 season at home with a five-set win over then-No. 5 Ottawa (Kan.) and a loss to NCAA opponent Loyola (Ill.).

-The Vikings will enter their next matches at No. 3 in kills per game (12.4). The team will host No. 3 Park (Mo.) and No. 2 Missouri Baptist in the Molten Invitational Jan. 25-26, and will close out January with a road game at Missouri Valley.  

-No. 5 Culver Stockton (Mo.) is the lone newcomer to this week’s Top 10 poll.

Poll Methodology

-The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences, Association of Independent Institutions and Unaffiliated Groups.

-The Top 10 is determined by a points system based on how each voter ranks the best teams. A team receives 30 points for each first-place vote, 29 for second-place and so on through the list.

-The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) is removed and the team’s ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot (including discounted ballots) that the teams appear on.

-Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered “receiving votes”

-Frequency of polls occurs bi-weekly. This policy was approved by the National Administrative Council (NAC) for the 2016-17 academic season. This change will allow raters the opportunity to consider a larger body of work in between rating periods.

-For the complete ratings calendar, click here.

2018 Men’s Volleyball Coaches’ Top 10 Poll – No. 1 (Jan. 23)

Dropped from the rankings: No. 10 Clarke (Iowa)

Others receiving votes: Clarke 31, St. Ambrose (Iowa) 11, Siena Heights (Mich.) 3, Briar Cliff (Iowa) 3