KANSAS CITY, Mo. — McPherson College was ranked No. 14 in the first NAIA Women's Volleyball National Selection Committee (NSC) poll of the season, the national office announced Wednesday. The poll is transitioning at this point from a coaches' vote to a NSC members's vote for the remainder of the 2026 season, and the NSC polls will be released on a bi-weekly schedule along with the Area Ratings Committee (ARC) standings.
Members of NSC each completed an individual ballot based on data such as ranking percentage index (RPI), area rating committee standings (ARC), overall record, strength of schedule (SOS), and conference record. This is the same data that will be used in November when the selection committee is determining at-large teams and seeding the national championship field.
Check out more of the data the NSC used to rank teams by clicking the links below. The next ARC and NSC poll will be released on Wednesday, October 21.
TOP FIVE CAPSULES
1. Eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon has emerged as one of the NAIA’s top teams this season, opening the year with a perfect 21-0 record and riding a 21-match winning streak. The Mountaineers have been equally impressive in every setting, posting unbeaten marks at home (5-0), on the road (7-0), and at neutral sites (9-0), while also going 10-0 in conference play. Some of the team’s most recent victories are over Cascade Collegiate Conference opponents such as Southern Oregon, Oregon Tech, College of Idaho, and Lewis-Clark State, with seven of their last 10 matches ending in straight-set sweeps.
2. Northwestern (Iowa)
Northwestern has compiled an impressive 18-1 overall record while remaining perfect in conference play at 8-0. The Red Raiders enter the week riding a 15-match winning streak that most recently includes victories over Morningside (Iowa), Dordt (Iowa), Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), and College of Saint Mary (Neb.). Northwestern has been dominant regardless of venue, posting undefeated records at home and on the road, and its last two road sweeps of Hastings (Neb.) and Doane (Neb.) reinforced its standing among the top teams in the conference and the nation.
3. Concordia (Neb.)
Concordia has posted a 17-2 overall record while remaining unbeaten in conference play at 8-0. The Bulldogs enter the week riding an 11-match winning streak, a stretch that includes victories over Midland (Neb.), Hastings (Neb.), Doane (Neb.), Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), Briar Cliff (Iowa), and Morningside (Iowa). Concordia has excelled in every environment with winning records at home, on the road, and at neutral sites.
4. Morningside (Iowa)
Morningside has put together an impressive campaign, posting a 17-4 overall record and a 6-2 mark in Great Plains Athletic Conference play. The Mustangs most recently posted a series of strong wins, including victories over Bethel (Kan.), Ottawa (Kan.), and Bethany (Kan.), and have remained tough to beat at home with a perfect 5-0 record. Conference wins over Dordt (Iowa), Briar Cliff (Iowa), Doane (Neb.) and Midland (Neb.) have kept Morningside near the top of the standings. The team’s most recent losses were at the hands of numbers two and three.
5. Corban (Ore.)
Corban has positioned itself among the Cascade Collegiate Conference’s top contenders this season, compiling a strong overall record while showing resilience through conference play. Most recently, the Warriors have earned key victories over Northwest (Wash.), Evergreen (Wash.), Oregon Tech, Southern Oregon, Walla Walla (Wash.), and Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), showcasing their ability to win both at home and on the road. Entering the week with a four-match win streak, Corban continues to build on its success as it battles for a spot near the top of the conference standings.
FULL TOP 25 NSC RANKINGS
| RANK |
INSTITUTION |
RECORD |
| 1 |
Eastern Oregon |
21-0 |
| 2 |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
18-1 |
| 3 |
Concordia (Neb.) |
17-2 |
| 4 |
Morningside (Iowa) |
17-4 |
| 5 |
Corban (Ore.) |
14-5 |
| 6 |
Aquinas (Mich.) |
25-1 |
| 7 |
Bellevue (Neb.) |
15-2 |
| 8 |
College of Idaho |
16-1 |
| 9 |
Missouri Baptist |
17-2 |
| 10 |
St. Thomas (Fla.) |
13-5 |
| 11 |
Midland (Neb.) |
14-6 |
| 12 |
Taylor (Ind.) |
19-5 |
| 13 |
Grace (Ind.) |
20-3 |
| 14 |
McPherson (Kan.) |
17-2 |
| 15 |
Southeastern (Fla.) |
11-4 |
| 16 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
14-7 |
| 17 |
Nelson (Texas) |
15-4 |
| 18 |
The Master’s (Calif.) |
12-5 |
| 19 |
Cornerstone (Mich.) |
16-5 |
| 20 |
Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) |
12-4 |
| 21 |
Dordt (Iowa) |
13-7 |
| 22 |
Southern Oregon |
14-6 |
| 23 |
New College of Florida |
13-4 |
| 24 |
Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) |
15-5 |
| 25 |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
18-2 |
NOTE: A team’s ranking in the NAIA National Selection Committee (NSC) Poll does not guarantee a corresponding seed in the national championship.
About the NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small college athletics programs dedicated to character-driven, education-based athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has balanced high-level competition with holistic student-athlete development through its commitment to The Right Way to Play®. Each year more than 87,000 NAIA student-athletes compete in college athletics, earn over $1.3 billion in financial aid, and pursue opportunities to participate in 30 national championships. naia.org | @NAIA | #TheRightWayToPlay
—KCAC—