ASHLAND – The Southern Oregon University volleyball team got a four-spot bump to No. 18 in the first NAIA Top 25 coaches' poll of the regular season, released Wednesday by the national office.

One of the biggest climbers was the team coming to SOU (8-2 overall) on Friday: No. 12 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), which was No. 23 in the preseason poll. The Warriors' movement gave the Cascade Conference four top-12 teams, the others being No. 1 Eastern Oregon, No. 4 Corban and No. 9 College of Idaho.

Before LC State visits on Friday, SOU will open its CCC schedule on Thursday against Walla Walla (Wash.). Both matches start at 6 p.m. inside Lithia Motors Pavilion.

The Raiders' new ranking is their highest since the 2025 preseason. They have one win against the current Top 25, having defeated now-No. 14 Taylor (Ind.) in five sets last week.

New polls will be released every two weeks throughout the season.

 

RANK	LAST	SCHOOL [1st-place votes]	RECORD
1	2	Eastern Oregon [17]	11-0
2	1	Northwestern (Iowa) [1]	6-1
3	T-3	Concordia (Neb.)	6-2
4	5	Corban (Ore.)	7-2
5	7	McPherson (Kan.)	6-2
6	T-3	Indiana Wesleyan	8-3
7	6	Providence (Mont.)	6-1
8	11	Missouri Baptist	7-2
9	18	College of Idaho	7-0
10	10	Cumberlands (Ky.)	9-1
11	16	Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)	8-1
T-12	17	Aquinas (Mich.)	9-1
T-12	23	Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)	6-0
14	RV	Taylor (Ind.)	10-3
15	9	Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio)	10-3
16	20	Midland (Neb.)	6-3
17	15	The Master's (Calif.)	4-4
18	22	Southern Oregon	8-2
19	8	Bellevue (Neb.)	4-2
20	NR	Morningside (Iowa)	7-2
21	14	St. Thomas (Fla.)	4-5
22	13	IU Kokomo (Ind.)	4-4
23	NR	Spring Arbor (Mich.)	8-2
24	25	Viterbo (Wis.)	4-4
25	NR	Southeastern (Fla.)	5-3

Receiving Votes: Bushnell (Ore.), Cornerstone (Mich.), College of Saint Mary (Neb.), Cumberland (Tenn.), Fisk (Tenn.), Grace (Ind.), Marian (Ind.), Mobile (Ala.), Montana Tech, Nelson (Texas), Oklahoma City