2023 NAIA Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University Volleyball continues to rub elbows with the elite squads on the NAIA national scene. The Bulldogs appeared at No. 4 in the 2023 NAIA Volleyball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll released on Wednesday (Aug. 16) by the NAIA. The ranking equals the highest in the history of the program, which dates back to its first varsity season in 1972. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s program also landed at No. 4 in the final poll of the 2022 regular season.
This will mark the fourth year in a row that the Bulldogs have started a season with a national ranking. In previous preseasons, Concordia landed at No. 10 in 2020, at No. 7 in 2021 and at No. 11 in 2022. The Boldts teams went on to earn final rankings of No. 14 in 2019, No. 8, in 2020, No. 6 in 2021 and No. 4 in 2022. Each of the previous four seasons have resulted in the Bulldogs reaching the final site of the NAIA National Championship tournament.
As expected, the GPAC is well-represented in the 2023 preseason poll with seven conference squads taking up residence within the top 25: No. 1 Jamestown, No. 4 Concordia, No. 5 Northwestern, No. 9 Midland, No. 13 Dakota Wesleyan, No. 18 College of Saint Mary and No. 24 Hastings. In nonconference action this season, the Bulldogs will test themselves against No. 6 Park University (Mo.) and No. 11 MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.).
Concordia will officially open the 2023 season on Saturday (Aug. 19) when it hosts McPherson College (Kan.) at 3 p.m. CT.
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