NCAA Division II Regional Rankings (Nov. 8, 2017)
The University of Minnesota Duluth was ranked fifth in the second release of the NCAA Division II Central Region Rankings on Wednesday. The Bulldogs stayed put with a road sweep of St. Cloud State University Tuesday followed by four-set drubbings of then-No. 2 Southwest Minnesota State University and Sioux Falls University this last Friday and Saturday.
No. 6 UMD, currently at 22-4 overall and 19-3 against regional competition, is the fourth-ranked NSIC team in the poll. The only change from the initial poll was Southwest Minnesota State University and Concordia University, St. Paul switching the top two spots in the region. Midwest Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) squad the University of Nebraska-Kearney continued to check in at No. 3. NSIC rival Northern State University is fourth, one slot ahead of the Bulldogs. Winona State University and Augustana University are seventh and 10th, respectively. The NSIC has six of the top ten teams in the central region. The University of Central Oklahoma (seventh) and the University of Central Missouri (ninth) round out the other MIAA representatives while the Arkansas Tech University is the lone team from the Great American Conference.
The winners of the NSIC Postseason Tournament and the champions of the MIAA and the GAC get automatic bids to the tournament, leaving five at-large bids chosen by the teams ranked highest following postseason tournament play. The NCAA Volleyball selection show will be streamed online on Monday, Nov. 20 at 6:30 p.m. on
NCAA.com.
The Bulldogs wrap up the season finale on the road with No. 18 Augustana University and No. 22 Wayne State College. The Bulldogs and Vikings will get the weekend started at 6:00 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D. A full preview of the weekend matches will be released tomorrow.
| CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS |
IN-REGION |
OVERALL |
| 1. Concordia-St. Paul (NSIC) |
17-2 |
24-2 |
| 2. Southwest Minnesota State (NSIC) |
17-3 |
23-3 |
| 3. Nebraska Kearney (MIAA |
27-1 |
27-2 |
| 4. Northern State (NSIC) |
21-4 |
22-4 |
| 5. Minnesota Duluth (NSIC) |
19-3 |
22-4 |
| 6. Central Oklahoma (MIAA) |
26-4 |
26-4 |
| 7. Winona State (NSIC) |
15-5 |
19-7 |
| 8. Arkansas Tech (GAC) |
24-0 |
25-0 |
| 9. Central Missouri (MIAA) |
19-6 |
22-7 |
| 10. Augustana (NSIC) |
18-7 |
20-7 |
