Each week volleyball coaches from each class across the state submit their rankings and our Tony Chapman compiles them. Here is the fifth in-season Volleyball Coaches Poll for 2023 season, presented by Pinnacle Bank. Records listed are through games played on Saturday, September 23.
Class A
- Papillion-LaVista South (21-0), 1
- Lincoln Southwest (15-3), 2
- Lincoln East (16-7), 3
- Grand Island (15-6), 5
- Omaha Westside (8-7), 6
- Papillion-LaVista (13-10), 7
- Millard West (15-9), 4
- Gretna (13-8), 8
- Lincoln Pius X (10-7), 10
- Bellevue West (17-7), 9
Receiving votes: Lincoln North Star (8-9), RV.
Comments: The same teams remain ranked with some shuffling. Grand Island jumps to No. 4 after previous No. 4 Millard West went 1-4 at the Allison Weston Invite over the weekend. Westside and Papio jump the Wildcats as well.
Top games: Tuesday, Lincoln Southwest at Lincoln North Star.
Class B
- Omaha Skutt (12-6), 1
- Norris (19-2), 4
- Elkhorn North (18-3), 2
- Bennington (20-3), 3
- Gretna East (19-6), 5
- Waverly (11-6), 6
- Omaha Duchesne (7-3), 7
- Seward (12-4), 9
- Crete (10-8), 10
- Northwest (9-8), NR
Receiving votes: Gering (10-3), 8.
Comments: We still some stability in the top-seven as the teams remain the same. However, Norris jumps to No. 2 after winning the Lincoln Pius Invitational. Northwest re-enters at No. 10 after advancing to the finals of the Hastings Invitational with a win over D-1, No. 2 Amherst and a loss to Class A, Columbus in the finals.
Top games: Tuesday, Adams Central at Northwest; Thursday, Bennington at Elkhorn North.
Class C-1
- Minden (21-0), 1
- Gothenburg (20-1), 2
- GICC (15-1), 3
- Kearney Catholic (15-2), 5
- Malcolm (15-2), 6
- DC West (15-3), 4
- Adams Central (13-3), 7
- Platteview (13-6), 8
- Pierce (18-1), 9
- Syracuse (14-3), 10
Receiving Votes: Wahoo (10-4), RV; St. Paul (14-6), RV; Battle Creek (15-5), NR.
Comments: Minden faced the best and survived last week, with a close three-set win over Gothenburg. On the weekend, they lost their first set of the season to GICC, but won the Holdrege Invitational. Malcolm jumps after defeating Adams Central at the Patriots home tournament.
Top games: Tuesday, Kearney Catholic at GICC, Malcolm at Wahoo; Thursday, GICC at Adams Central, EPPJ at Battle Creek (with Boone Central).
Class C-2
- Lincoln Lutheran (16-0), 1
- Clarkson/Leigh (18-0), 2
- Oakland-Craig (19-3), 3
- Yutan (16-2), 7
- Fremont Bergan (17-5), 4
- Freeman (15-2), 6
- Elmwood-Murdock (12-3), 8
- Bayard (16-0), 10
- Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family (14-4), 5
- Cross County (12-3), RV
Receiving votes: Bishop Neumann (11-8), RV.
Comments: A new No. 4 in Yutan with big wins over Class C-1, No. 6 Douglas County West and then-No. 4 Fremont Bergan. H/LHF tumbles after a pair of losses to unranked Summerland and Stanton. Bayard moves up two spots and remains undefeated.
Top games: Tuesday, Clarkson/Leigh at Fremont Bergan, GACC at Bishop Neumann.
Class D-1
- Southwest (15-1), 2
- Amherst (14-4), 1
- O’Neill St. Mary’s (13-0), 3
- Elgin Public/Pope John (15-2), 4
- Bruning-Davenport/Shickley (9-3), 5
- Sumner-Eddyville-Miller (15-3), 8
- Axtell (16-2), 9
- Guardian Angels Central Catholic (12-2), RV
- Nebraska Christian (13-6), 7
- Paxton (12-3), 10
Receiving votes: Exeter-Milligan/Friend (10-4), RV; Johnson-Brock (11-4), RV; Burwell (12-6), NR.
Comments: Our first move to the top of the rankings this season is Southwest jumping over Amherst after the Roughriders beat Class D-2, No. 1 Overton for the Sutherland Invite title. The Broncos just drop a spot for losses to Class B, No. 10 Northwest and Class C-1, No. 8 Platteview.
Top games: Tuesday, Diller-Odell at Johnson-Brock.
Class D-2
- Overton (17-1), 1
- Cambridge (12-3), 2
- Wynot (10-1), 4
- Meridian (10-2), 3
- Stuart (16-2), 5
- Shelton (13-4), 6
- Wallace (16-2), 10
- Central Valley (9-4), 7
- Howells-Dodge (10-5), 9
- Sandhills/Thedford (12-3), 8
Receiving votes: Bertrand (11-9), RV; Leyton (12-4), RV.
Comments: The top-six remain the same with Wynot and Meridian switching places after Wynot topped C-2 Wakefield and Meridian lost to D-1 BDS in a sweep. Wallace makes a leap after defeating Sandhills/Thedford in the Brady Tournament. Another huge week for Overton.
Top games: Tuesday, Shelton at Overton (with Giltner); Thursday, Southwest at Overton (with Alma).
