So, NAIA men’s volleyball is underway now in spite of the severe ice storms which rocked the Midwest and delayed many season first serves. We’ll see a new NAIA coaches poll next Tuesday, January 24, and the first Pablo Rankings of the 2016-17 men’s season should be out later this week. Until then, however, we’re still using that January 10th NAIA Coaches poll as our guide.
On that note, it’s once again a really good time to reiterate the purpose of the NAIA.
“The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has administered programs and championships in proper balance with the overall college educational experience. The student-athlete is the center of all NAIA experiences. Each year more than 60,000 student-athletes have the opportunity to play college sports at NAIA member institutions. The seed of the NAIA began in 1937 with the tipoff of a men’s basketball tournament in Kansas City that has become the longest running event in college basketball. Out of the tournament grew the NAIA, an association that has been an innovative leader. The NAIA was the first collegiate athletics association to invite historically black institutions into membership and the first to sponsor both men’s and women’s national championships. In 2000, the NAIA reaffirmed its purpose to enhance the character building aspects of sport. Through Champions of Character, the NAIA seeks to create an environment in which every student-athlete, coach, official and spectator is committed to the true spirit of competition through five core values. In 2010, the association opened the doors to the NAIA Eligibility Center, where prospective student-athletes are evaluated for academic and athletic eligibility. It delivers on the NAIA’s promise of integrity by leveling the playing field, guiding student-athlete success, and ensuring fair competition.” http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=205323019
Here’s how the Top Ten from the NAIA January 10 Coaches Poll have fared so far this season.
# |
SCHOOL | LOCATION | 2017 W-L | VICTORIES OVER | LOSSES TO |
UP NEXT |
1 |
Missouri Baptist Spartans | St. Louis, Missouri | 2-1 | Missouri Valley
Quincy |
Ottawa | Culver-Stockton, 1/24 |
2 | Grand View Vikings | Des Moines, Iowa | 3-0 | Morningside
St. Ambrose Dordt |
None |
Hawai’i, 1/27 |
3 |
Warner Royals | Lake Wales, Florida | 0-0 | Warner’s first match is 1/27/17. | Warner’s first match is 1/27/17. | Dordt, 1/27 |
4 | Lourdes Gray Wolves | Sylvania, Ohio | 2-1 | Lawrence Tech
St. Ambrose |
Clarke |
Siena Heights, 2/1 |
5 |
Park Pirates | Parkville, Missouri | 0-0 | Park’s first match is 1/27/17. | Park’s first match is 1/27/17. | Culver-Stockton, 1/27 |
6 | Robert Morris Eagles | Chicago, Illinois | 1-0 | Clarke | None |
Illinois Tech, 1/25 |
7 |
Clarke Crusaders | Dubuque, Iowa | 1-3 | Lourdes | Carthage (DIII)
Robert Morris Missouri Valley |
Graceland, 1/27 |
T8 | Hope International Royals | Fullerton, California | 4-1 | UC-Merced
Vassar Springfield SUNY-New Paltz |
Springfield |
Concordia-Irvine, 1/25 |
T8 |
St. Ambrose Fighting Bees | Davenport, Iowa | 0-2 | None | Grand View
Lourdes |
Calumet, 1/31 |
10 |
Missouri Valley Vikings | Marshall, Missouri | 3-1 | Culver-Stockton
Clarke Mount Mercy |
Missouri Baptist |
Graceland, 1/24 |
LET’S GROW VOLLEYBALL!
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