AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll Week 6 (Oct. 12, 2015)

The road ahead gets no easier for the University of Minnesota Duluth, as the team will host No. 9 Wayne State (Neb.) College and No. 20 Augustana (S.D.) University in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action this weekend at Romano Gymnasium after sliding to fifth in Monday's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll.

No. 5 UMD (14-4, 7-2 NSIC) slipped in back-to-back matches for the first time in four seasons (Nov. 11-12, 2011) last week, falling to Concordia University, St. Paul in non-conference action and Southwest Minnesota State University once back into league play. Concordia-St. Paul moved up to No. 1 in the nation while SMSU slots in at No. 4 from fifth after up-ending UMD. The Bulldogs had held 27 first-place votes last week, and now have just one while CU takes home the most of any team at 23 this week. UMD's Friday night opponent, Augustana, picked up a pair of sweeps last week and held tight to the No. 20 spot. No. 9 Wayne State will come to Duluth Saturday for the Bulldogs' annual pink game, moving up one spot from a week ago. UMD will meet Wayne for the fifth time in the past two seasons after matching up with the Wildcats twice in the regular season as well as in both the NSIC postseason and NCAA II Central Region tournaments last year.

Northern State University, the other conference foe to fell the Bulldogs in 2015, continues its ascent now No. 6 in the poll, up from No. 8 a week ago. The No. 2-ranked University of Tampa and No. 3 Ferris State University round out the top five. Last week's No. 24 Winona State University falls one spot to 25, just ahead of Minnesota State University Mankato among the teams receiving votes outside the poll.

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UMD and Augustana will open up the action on Friday night at Romano Gym. Opening serve is set for 7:00 p.m.