By Steve Carpenter-Hutchinson CC Sports Information
For the first time in four years the Hutchinson Community College Volleyball team is in the NJCAA Division I national rankings.
Riding a 10-match winning streak that included five-set wins over previous No. 1 Iowa Western and No. 3 Missouri State University-West Plains, the Blue Dragons go from unranked in the preseason poll to No. 13 this week.
The Blue Dragons are 10-2 overall and 1-0 in the Jayhawk West. The Dragons will get an immediate test with their new ranking as they travel to No. 17 Seward County on Wednesday night.
The last time the Blue Dragons were ranked was at No. 17 in the 2018 preseason rankings. The last time Hutchinson was ranked in a regular-season poll was No. 20 in the final poll of 2015. That team finished ninth at the NJCAA Tournament.
The Blue Dragons and Saints are the only two Jayhawk West teams in this week's rankings. Butler is receiving votes.
Florida SouthWestern takes over as the No. 1 team in the nation, receiving all eight votes. New Mexico Military is second, followed by Snow College, Western Nebraska and Salt Lake.
In addition to Hutchinson's league match on Wednesday in Liberal, the Blue Dragons will be at home on Friday with a triangular against Cloud County and the Friends University JV, starting at 4 p.m.
NJCAA DIVISION I VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS
1. Florida SouthWestern (8)
2. New Mexico Military Institute
3. Snow College
4. Western Nebraska
5. Salt Lake
6. Indian Hills
7. Odessa College
8. Miami Dade College
9. Blinn College
10. Polk State College
11. Central Wyoming
12. Hillsborough Community College
13. Hutchinson
14. Missouri State-West Plains
15. Utah State Eastern
16. Seward County
17. Tyler Junior College
18. Navarro College
19. Daytona State College
20. Monroe College4-0