Statesmen Start 2024 in Top 10
Oskaloosa–A senior-laden William Penn men’s volleyball team will enter the 2024 season as a player on the national scene as the NAIA released its preseason top-15 poll Wednesday.
WPU, which was 16-10 last year (14-4 Heart) opens the campaign at #10 with 158 points. The Statesmen were ranked throughout all of 2023 and have now been ranked for 13 consecutive polls, dating back to February 9, 2022.
The navy and gold are one of six representatives from the Heart of America Athletic Conference in the rating. Park leads the way at #3, while Grand View, at #6, Missouri Baptist, at #12, and Mount Mercy, at #15, are also in the top 15. Missouri Valley is in the receiving votes section as well at #19 unofficially.
Defending national champion Vanguard (Calif.) tops the poll with 251 points and 10 first-place votes. 2023 runner-up Benedictine Mesa (Ariz.) is second with the final four top ballots, while Ottawa (Ariz.) is fourth and The Master’s (Calif.) is fifth.
The Statesmen start the season Thursday by facing Ottawa (Ariz.) in Chicago, Ill. in a neutral-court matchup at 4 p.m.
NAIA Men’s Volleyball Preseason Rating — January 24, 2024
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. Vanguard (Calif.) (10)
2. Benedictine Mesa (Ariz.) (4)
3. Park (Mo.)
4. Ottawa (Ariz.)
5. The Master’s (Calif.)
6. Grand View
7. Menlo (Calif.)
8. Saint Xavier (Ill.)
9. Georgetown (Ky.)
10. William Penn
11. Indiana Tech
12. Missouri Baptist
13. Jamestown (N.D.)
14. Lourdes (Ohio)
15. Mount Mercy
Receiving Votes: Arizona Christian 56; Westcliff 56; Reinhardt (Ga.) 45; Missouri Valley 31; Campbellsville (Ky.) 20; Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) 14; Warner (Fla.) 8; Ottawa (Kan.) 6; Hope International (Calif.) 4; Judson (Ill.) 4.
