(Sioux City, Iowa) – Northwestern College tallied 117 points and was picked first in the 2020 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Preseason Coaches Volleyball Poll. The Red Raiders garnered nine of the twelve first place votes.
The University of Jamestown was picked second in the poll with 102 points and a pair of first place votes. Concordia was picked third with 97 points, while Midland came in fourth with 92 points and one first place vote.
Northwestern was the GPAC Regular Season Champion in 2019 with a record of 16-0 and a 32-2 overall record. The University of Jamestown won the GPAC Postseason Tournament and was 14-2 in conference play. In all, six GPAC teams finished the season ranked or receiving votes (Jamestown 4th, Northwestern 6th, Concordia 14th, College of Saint Mary 23rd, Midland RV, Doane RV).
The 41st Annual NAIA National Volleyball Championship has been moved to the spring of 2021 and is set for April 27th-May 1st, at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. The GPAC regular and postseason champions will earn the automatic berth to the NAIA Volleyball Championship.
The NAIA Volleyball national championship includes a field of 48 teams. Forty-Eight teams will compete in 24 national championship opening round matches played on campus sites nationwide on April 17th. Opening round winners will advance to the final site for a 24-team pool play tournament in Sioux City. One team from each pool advance to single-elimination championship play.
The 2020 GPAC volleyball season will consist of 16 conference matches with 12 teams competing for the conference crown. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team in the preseason poll.
2020 GPAC Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll:
Place – Team – Pts (1st Place Votes)
1. Northwestern – 117 (9)
2. Jamestown – 102 (2)
3. Concordia – 97
4. Midland – 92 (1)
5. Dordt – 85
6. College of Saint Mary – 70
7. Morningside – 55
8. Hastings – 48
9. Doane – 41
10. Dakota Wesleyan – 36
11. Briar Cliff – 32
12. Mount Marty – 17
