🏐 McPherson climbs to No. 5 in NAIA volleyball poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — McPherson College continued its climb in the national rankings Wednesday, moving up two spots to No. 5 in the latest NAIA Women’s Volleyball Coaches’ Poll.

The Bulldogs are 6-2 after spending the opening two weeks of the season away from home. Both losses have come against teams ranked in the national top five — No. 3 Concordia (Neb.) and No. 4 Corban (Ore.).

McPherson has won six matches during its nonconference schedule, including a victory over Texas Wesleyan, which received votes in the latest poll.

The Bulldogs will continue nonconference play over the next two weeks with matches against Doane (Neb.), Loyola (La.), Stephens (Mo.), Central Methodist (Mo.) and fellow Kansas school Central Christian.

McPherson was one of several Kansas programs mentioned in Wednesday’s national poll release.

Ottawa received votes in the poll and is scheduled to face No. 2 Northwestern (Iowa) and No. 3 Concordia during the next two weeks.

MidAmerica Nazarene also made an early-season statement by handing No. 6 Indiana Wesleyan its third loss of the season. Indiana Wesleyan had won six straight matches before falling to the Pioneers.

Bethel is also scheduled to get an opportunity against one of the nation’s top teams when it faces No. 2 Northwestern during the upcoming stretch.

Eastern Oregon took over the No. 1 ranking after opening the season 11-0. The Mountaineers received 17 first-place votes and moved up from No. 2 in the preseason poll.

Northwestern dropped one spot to No. 2 after suffering its lone loss of the season against Eastern Oregon. Concordia remained at No. 3, followed by Corban at No. 4 and McPherson at No. 5.

Indiana Wesleyan is sixth, followed by Providence (Mont.), Missouri Baptist, College of Idaho and Cumberlands (Ky.) to round out the top 10.

Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) made the largest jump in the rankings, climbing 11 spots from No. 23 into a tie for No. 12. Taylor (Ind.), Morningside (Iowa), Spring Arbor (Mich.) and Southeastern (Fla.) entered the top 25 after being unranked or receiving votes in the preseason poll.

The next NAIA Women’s Volleyball Coaches’ Poll is scheduled to be released Sept. 16.