The University of Minnesota Duluth ranks fifth in the initial NCAA Division II Central Region Rankings released Wednesday, which would put them in the thick of the NCAA II Central Region Tournament if the field was decided today.
The No. 8 Bulldogs, currently at 20-5 overall and 16-5 against regional competition, are the third-ranked Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference team in the poll. Concordia University, St. Paul and Northern State University are ahead of UMD. The Golden Bears hold down the top spot followed by Midwest Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) squad Washburn University while the Wolves check in at No. 3. The University of Nebraska Kearney is just ahead of UMD and NSIC rival Southwest Minneosta State University University is sixth, one slot behind the Bulldogs.Â
A pair of MIAA representatives -- the University of Central Oklahoma and the University of Central Missouri -- take the seventh and eighth spots, respectively. The University of Sioux Falls (ninth) is the last NSIC club to appear in the poll and Northwest Missouri State University rounds out the top 10 of the rankings. No teams from the Great American Conference, which will earn an automatic bid, is represented in the regional rankings .
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 Sunday, Nov. 11 at 9 p.m. on NCAA.com.
UMD takes on No. 5 Northern State and Minnesota State University Moorhead this weekend. The Bulldogs and Wolves will get the weekend started at 6:00 p.m. Friday night. in Aberdeen, S.D.
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| CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS |
IN-REGION |
OVERALL |
| 1. Concordia-St. Paul (NSIC) |
19-3 |
21-4 |
| 2. Washburn (MIAA) |
25-1 |
25-1 |
| 3. Northern State (NSIC) |
21-2 |
22-2 |
| 4. Nebraska Kearney (MIAA) |
20-2 |
25-2 |
| 5. Minnesota Duluth (NSIC) |
16-5 |
20-5 |
| 6. Southwest Minnesota State (NSIC) |
13-5 |
17-7 |
| 7. Central Oklahoma (MIAA) |
24-4 |
24-4 |
| 8. Central Missouri (MIAA) |
18-5 |
20-6 |
| 9. Sioux Falls (NSIC) |
15-7 |
16-8 |
| 10. Northwest Missouri State (MIAA) |
16-5 |
19-6 |
