2025 Volleyball Preseason Polls: GPAC | NAIA
SEWARD, Neb. – Preseason polls unveiled on Wednesday (Aug. 13) at the conference and national levels reflected the lofty expectations harbored by the 2025 Concordia University, Nebraska Volleyball team. The Bulldogs topped the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll while landing at No. 4 in the NAIA preseason coaches' poll. Concordia raked in seven first-place votes (117 total points) in the conference poll and enters a season as the league favorite for the first time as a GPAC member.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s program has taken up residence within the NAIA top 10 in recent seasons. This past 2024 campaign, the Bulldogs finished at 27-4 overall and advanced to the NAIA national quarterfinals. From that squad, Concordia returns NAIA First Team All-American outside hitter Ashley Keck and fellow GPAC All-Conference honorees in pin hitter Ella Waters, right side Addie Kirkegaard and setter Savannah Shelburne. The most significant personnel departure is three-time NAIA All-American Gabi Nordaker (now a graduate assistant coach at Jamestown).
The Bulldogs spent the entirety of the 2024 season ranked inside the top five of the NAIA coaches’ poll (rose as high as No. 2). Concordia has settled in the top five of 18-straight NAIA polls dating back to October 2022. The 2023 team that shared the GPAC regular season title even held the nation’s No. 1 ranking for two separate polls. As a program, the Bulldogs have been ranked in the top 25 in each of the last 25 and in 40 of the past 42 NAIA coaches’ polls.
In addition to Concordia’s No. 4 national ranking, GPAC rivals Northwestern (No. 7) and Midland (No. 20) also appeared in the NAIA’s preseason top 25. During upcoming nonconference action, the Bulldogs will take on ranked foes in No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan University, No. 5 Eastern Oregon University and No. 16 Viterbo University (Wis.). Additional nonconference opponents, Columbia College (Mo.) and MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.), are situated just outside the top 25 and are listed as “receiving votes.”
For more on the 2025 Concordia Volleyball team, check out our season preview linked HERE.
The Bulldogs will make their ’25 debut on Saturday (Aug. 16) when they welcome York University to Friedrich Arena for a 2:30 p.m. CT first serve. The Panthers finished last season with a 19-16 overall record. Despite the close proximity of the two sides, Concordia and York last met each other in 2019 with the result being a straight-sets home win for the Bulldogs.
2025 GPAC Preseason Volleyball Coaches’ Poll
(First-place votes in parentheses)
1. Concordia – 117 (7)
2. Northwestern – 115 (5)
3. Midland – 95
4. Morningside – 92
5. Dakota Wesleyan – 77
6. College of Saint Mary – 64
7. Dordt – 63
8. Hastings – 62
9. Mount Marty – 38
10. Doane – 29
11. Waldorf – 25
12. Briar Cliff – 15