Volleyball Coaches Poll 10.16.23

Each week volleyball coaches from each class across the state submit their rankings and our Tony Chapman compiles them. Here is the eighth in-season Volleyball Coaches Poll (10-216-23) for 2023 season, presented by Pinnacle Bank. Records listed are through games played on Saturday, October 14.

CLASS A

1. Papillion-La Vista South (31-0), 1
2. Lincoln Southwest (25-4), 2
3. Lincoln East (23-9), 3
4. Omaha Westside (19-9), 5
5. Grand Island (22-7), 4
6. Papillion-La Vista (18-14), 6
7. Millard West (18-11), 7
8. Lincoln Pius X (20-8), 8
9. Bellevue West (24-8), 10
10. Gretna (22-11), 9 

Receiving votes: none.

Ratings comments: Grand Island drops a spot for a loss to Lincoln Northeast and Bellevue West and Gretna flip spots. The HAC and Metro tournaments this week will help determine our final season ranking next week before districts.

CLASS B

1. Omaha Skutt (18-13), 1
2. Norris (27-3), 3
3. Elkhorn North (24-7), 2
4. Bennington (24-6), 4
5. Waverly (20-9), 5
6. Gretna East (22-8), 6
7. Crete (21-11), 8
8. Scottsbluff (22-9), 10
9. Northwest (18-12), 9
10. Seward (22-7), 7

Receiving votes: Beatrice (15-10), RV; Gering (18-8), NR; Omaha Duchesne Academy (12-8), NR.

Ratings comments: Elkhorn North and Norris flip again after the Titans reversed the Eastern Midlands loss to the Wolves. Bennington, Waverly and Gretna East remain. Crete jumps to seventh after winning the Central Conference tournament on Saturday, defeating Seward and Northwest along the way. Seward stays in barely over Beatrice and Gering.

CLASS C-1

1. Minden (28-0), 1
2. Gothenburg (26-1), 2
3. Kearney Catholic (26-2), 3
4. GICC (22-3), 4
5. Platteview (20-7), 5
6. DC West (24-4), 7
7. Malcolm (23-4), 6
8. Syracuse (22-6), 8
9. Adams Central (20-6), 9
10. Ogallala (21-7), RV

Receiving Votes: Pierce (24-3), 10; Wahoo (20-9), RV.

Ratings comments: The top five remain the same and DC West jumps ahead of Malcolm after winning the Nebraska Capital Conference tournament final over Syracuse. Most teams will play a final regular season game on Tuesday before sub-districts next week.

CLASS C-2 

1. Lincoln Lutheran (30-1), 1
2. Clarkson/Leigh (28-1), 2
3. Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family (24-5), 5
4. Oakland-Craig (26-5), 3
5. Yutan (22-3), 6
6. Fremont Bergan (22-10), 8
7. Elmwood-Murdock (21-5), 9
8. Freeman (22-4), 4
9. Bayard (27-0), 7
10. Stanton (21-8), NR

Receiving votes:  Bishop Neumann (17-12), RV; Hastings St. Cecilia (19-11), 10. 

Ratings comments: After an 8-6 start, Stanton has won 14 of 16 matches and avenged a loss to Oakland-Craig over the weekend in the East Husker tournament. Elmwood-Murdock won the ECNC which jumps them and drops Freeman from fourth. Bayard drops through no fault of their own.

CLASS D-1

1. Guardian Angels Central Catholic (20-4), 4
2. Amherst (21-6), 1
3. Southwest (24-3), 2
4. Sumner-Eddyville-Miller (20-4), 7
5. O’Neill St. Mary’s (25-1), 3
6. Elgin Public/Pope John (22-4), 5
7. Bruning-Davenport/Shickley (23-3), 6
8. Nebraska Christian (22-6), 8
9. Johnson-Brock (18-6), RV
10. Deshler (22-3), 10

Receiving votes: Axtell (20-5), RV; Burwell (18-7), RV; Pleasanton (19-8), RV.

Ratings comments: Amherst’s loss to SEM in the Fort Kearney tournament and SEM’s loss to Class D-2, No. 1 Overton shuffle things. GACC moves to No. 1 based on strength of schedule with no Class D losses this season. Johnson-Brock moves in with a Pioneer Conference title.

CLASS D-2

1. Overton (27-1), 1
2. Cambridge (22-3), 2
3. Wynot (18-6), 3
4. Stuart (22-3), 4
5. Meridian (19-4), 5
6. Wallace (25-2), 6
7. Shelton (20-7), 7
8. Central Valley (18-8), 8
9. Leyton (22-6), 9
10. Sandhills/Thedford (23-4), RV

Receiving votes: Howells-Dodge (15-12), 10; Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer (17-8), RV.

Ratings comments: No changes to the top nine spots with Overton and Cambridge having a solid grip on the top two places. Sandhills/Thedford reenters for Howells-Dodge.