SOU VOLLEYBALL INVITE
Friday's Matches
11 a.m. – Simpson (Calif.) vs. Life Pacific (Calif.)
3 p.m. – Southern Oregon vs. Simpson
6 p.m. – Southern Oregon vs. Life Pacific
Saturday's Matches
11 a.m. – Oregon Tech vs. Life Pacific
1 p.m. – Northwest Christian vs. Simpson
4 p.m. – Northwest Christian vs. Life Pacific
6 p.m. – Oregon Tech vs. Simpson

At No. 6 in the NAIA Top 25 coaches' poll, the Southern Oregon University volleyball team will open Friday with the highest ranking in program history and a handful of other heavy hitters looming on the schedule.

The preseason edition, released Wednesday, included four Cascade Conference teams: SOU, No. 10 Eastern Oregon, No. 12 College of Idaho and No. 19 Corban. Northwest (Wash.) appeared in the receiving-votes category.

Next weekend at Lithia Motors Pavilion, the Raiders will tangle with two more ranked squads in non-conference action: No. 18 Vanguard (Calif.) on Aug. 23 at 7:30 p.m., and No. 20 Jamestown (N.D.) on Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. Both matches will be part of the Raider Invitational.

The Raiders will first host this weekend's SOU Volleyball Invite, matching up on Friday with Simpson (Calif.) at 3 p.m. and Life Pacific (Calif.) at 6 p.m.

After starting at No. 13, SOU ended last season at No. 8 in the postseason poll after going 29-5, winning the Cascade Conference's regular-season and tournament championships, and advancing to the national quarterfinal round for the first time.

The Raiders are in the preseason poll for the fourth time in the last five seasons. Their previous high preseason ranking was No. 9 in 2003.

2019 Women's Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Poll

RANK	LAST TIME	SCHOOL [FIRST PLACE VOTES]	2018 RECORD	POINTS
1	1	Park (Mo.) [18]	36-1	498
2	2	Columbia (Mo.)	36-4	480
3	5	Grand View (Iowa)	36-1	451
4	9	Missouri Baptist	31-3	428
5	3	Viterbo (Wis.)	33-8	425
6	8	Southern Oregon	29-5	422
7	12	Northwestern (Iowa)	26-9	418
8	4	Midland (Neb.)	26-8	381
9	6	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	33-4	369
10	11	Eastern Oregon	25-9	366
11	7	Dordt (Iowa)	31-3	329
12	14	College of Idaho	24-10	320
13	13	Rocky Mountain (Mont.)	30-6	300
14	10	Hastings (Neb.)	22-7	298
15	17	The Master's (Calif.)	29-8	292
16	19	Aquinas (Mich.)	35-8	224
17	21	Central Methodist (Mo.)	32-8	218
18	RV	Vanguard (Calif.)	26-11	216
19	16	Corban (Ore.)	23-13	204
20	18	Jamestown (N.D.)	24-9	198
21	20	Providence (Mont.) (Mont.)	23-11	183
22	RV	Bellevue (Neb.)	23-12	165
23	15	Westmont (Calif.)	27-7	130
24	23	Marian (Ind.)	30-7	124
25	RV	Ottawa (Kan.)	27-13	91

Others receiving votes: Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 89, Trinity Christian (Ill.) 88, Reinhardt (Ga.) 85, Madonna (Mich.) 58, Saint Francis (Ind.) 34, Northwest (Wash.) 18, Saint Xavier (Ill.) 18, Morningside (Iowa) 12, Kansas Wesleyan 12, SAGU (Texas) 11, Oklahoma City 6, Campbellsville (Ky.) 4, Milligan (Tenn.) 4