Providence (Mont.) lands No. 1 for the first time in program history
Providence (Mont.) lands No. 1 for the first time in program history

New No. 1 in the Fifth NAIA Women's Volleyball Top 25 Poll

 KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Leading into the final two weeks of the regular season, there's a new No. 1 in Providence (Mont.) in the latest edition of the NAIA Women's Volleyball Top 25 Poll.

Missouri Baptist moved up by the largest amount, gaining four spots. Corban (Ore.), Bushnell (Ore.) and Mobile (Ala.) followed, moving up by three spots. 

There were seven teams that remained at the same rank, while Aquinas (Mich.) and MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) rejoined the Top 25. 

 

1. Providence (Mont.)

Match-ups prior to next poll: Oct. 24 Dickinson State (N.D.), Nov. 1 Bellevue (Neb.), Nov. 7 Montana Western, Nov. 8 Montana Tech 

Notes: The Argos rise to No. 1 in the nation for the first time in program history. The team holds a 24-match win streak while holding a perfect Frontier conference record of 18-0. 

2. Eastern Oregon

Match-ups prior to next poll: Oct. 29 College of Idaho, Oct. 30 Warner Pacific (Ore.), Nov. 7 Walla Walla (Wash.), Nov. 8 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)

Notes: lost its first two matches of the season in the last two weeks to Corban (Ore.) and Southern Oregon 

3. Northwestern (Iowa)

Match-ups prior to next poll: Oct. 29 Briar Cliff (Iowa), Nov. 1 Morningside (Iowa), Nov. 4 Waldorf (Iowa)

Notes: Zavyr Metzger leads the nation in blocks per set with 1.94 in 25 matches this season. Leads the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) standings with a perfect 13-0 record. 

4. Concordia (Neb.)

Match-ups prior to next poll: Nov. 1 Midland (Neb.), Nov. 4 Doane (Neb.) 

Notes: The Bulldogs' only blemish in conference play was against Northwestern (Iowa), as they hold a 13-1 record in the GPAC. 

5. Corban (Ore.)

Match-ups prior to next poll: Oct. 31 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), Nov. 1 Walla Walla (Wash.), Nov. 7 Southern Oregon, Nov. 8 Oregon Tech 

Notes: The Warriors moved up three spots after dealing Eastern Oregon its first loss of the season. 

6. McPherson (Kan.)

Match-ups prior to next poll: Oct. 29 Kansas Wesleyan, Nov. 1 Friend (Kan.), Nov. 5 Tabor (Kan.), Nov. 8 Evangel (Mo.)

Notes: McPherson leads the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) with a 9-0 record. The teams perfect conference record has contributed to their 24 match win streak leading into the final two weeks of the regular season. 

7. Bellevue (Neb.)

Match-ups prior to next poll: Oct. 31 Montana State-Northern, Nov. 1 Providence (Mont.), Nov. 7 Valley City State (N.D.), Nov. 8 Mayville State (N.D.)

Notes: Bellevue follows Providence in the Frontier Conference standings with a record of 16-2 in conference. The Bruins' last 10 matches have landed in the win column, with the team's last loss being to Providence. 

8. Indiana Wesleyan

Match-ups prior to next poll: Oct. 29 Marian (Ind.), Nov. 1 Taylor (Ind.), Nov. 5 Goshen (Ind.) 

Notes: Sits at the top of the Crossroads League standings with only one blemish on their conference record that came from Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio). 

9. Oklahoma Wesleyan

Match-ups prior to next poll: Oct. 29 Avila (Mo.), Nov. 5 Evangel (Mo.), Nov. 8 Sterling (Kan.)

Notes: Sydney Collins and Evelyn Rohrberg still remain at the top of the standings for their respective statistical categories, assists per set and kills per set, while the team follows in their stead, leading the nation in kills per set at 14.52 and assists per set at 13.51. 

10. Cumberlands (Ky.)

Match-ups prior to next poll: Oct. 29 Kentucky State, Nov. 1 Cumberland (Tenn.), Nov. 4 IU Southeast (Ind.), Nov. 7 Bethel (Tenn.), Nov. 8 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)

Notes: Leads the nation in attack percentage at .307. 

 

TREND RANK LAST TIME INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES] RECORD POINTS
1 2 Providence (Mont.) [10] 25-1 502
2 1 Eastern Oregon [8] 22-2 490
3 3 Northwestern (Iowa) [1] 22-3 482
4 4 Concordia (Neb.) 20-2 456
5 8 Corban (Ore.) 19-4 433
6 6 McPherson (Kan.) 26-1 430
7 7 Bellevue (Neb.) 20-3 415
8 5 Indiana Wesleyan 21-4 401
9 9 Oklahoma Wesleyan 19-2 368
10 10 Cumberlands (Ky.) 27-0 367
11 13 The Master's (Calif.) 18-3 307
12 11 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 15-4 304
12 12 Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) 20-7 304
14 14 St. Thomas (Fla.) 19-4 267
15 16 IU Kokomo (Ind.) 23-5 254
16 15 Viterbo (Wis.) 19-6 248
17 21 Missouri Baptist 23-5 236
18 19 College of Idaho 15-8 229
19 17 Midland (Neb.) 16-8 213
20 23 Bushnell (Ore.) 16-10 174
21 18 Northwest (Wash.) 13-9 127
22 25 Mobile (Ala.) 20-2 125
23 RV Aquinas (Mich.) 25-5 116
24 22 Grand View (Iowa) 25-3 108
25 RV MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 20-4 101

Dropped from Top 25: Taylor (Ind.) and Dakota State (S.D.)

Receiving Votes: Taylor (Ind.) 91, Huntington (Ind.) 84, Walla Walla (Wash.) 66, Southern Oregon 41, OUAZ (Ariz.) 26, Dakota State (S.D.) 22, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 15, Marian (Ind.) 15, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 13, Dordt (Iowa) 6, Montana State-Northern (Mont.) 4, Montana Tech 3, Carroll (Mont.) 3

 

Poll Methodology

  • The national poll is for publicity purposes only and does not influence the selection process for national championship consideration.
  • A panel of head coaches representing each conference and the Continental Athletic Conference (Independents) votes in the poll.
  • The Top 25 teams are selected using a points-based system:
    • 30 points for a 1st-place vote, 29 for 2nd, 28 for 3rd, and so on.
  • The highest and lowest rankings received by each team are discarded before final tallying.
  • Teams receiving only one point are not listed as “receiving votes.”
  • For the Preseason Poll, there is no "previous ranking" column since it is the initial poll and differs from the prior rating system. 

Key: RV - Receiving Votes, NR - Not Ranked, Climbed, - Dropped, ● - Steady