Montana Tech’s fast start to the volleyball season has earned the Orediggers some national recognition.
Tech is ranked No. 20 in the first regular-season coaches’ Top 25 poll of 2015. This marks the first time the Orediggers have been ranked under head coach Brian Solomon, who is in his fourth season with the school.
Montana Tech, which is 11-2 after going 4-0 at the Kansas Wesleyn Labor Day Tournament, is one of three Frontier Conference teams ranked in the Top 25. Rocky Mountain College fell one spot to No. 5, while the University of Great Falls is ranked No. 24. Lewis-Clark State, which was ranked last time, received votes.
The Orediggers will play in a nonconference tournament this weekend in Hastings, Nebraska. Tech opens the conference season Sept. 17 at Rocky Mountain College. The Orediggers first home conference match is Sept. 19 against Lewis-Clark State.
2015 Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – No. 1 (Sept. 8)
| RANK | LAST WEEK^ | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | 2015 Record | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 2 | Biola (Calif.) (12) | 8-0 | 492 |
| 2 | 4 | Viterbo (Wis.) (6) | 9-0 | 487 |
| 3 | 3 | Missouri Baptist | 9-1 | 467 |
| 4 | 9 | Midland (Neb.) | 9-0 | 447 |
| 5 | 7 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 10-3 | 420 |
| 6 | 5 | Rocky Mountain (Mont.) | 10-4 | 409 |
| 7 | 1 | Park (Mo.) | 3-2 | 404 |
| 8 | 6 | Eastern Oregon | 6-1 | 397 |
| 9 | 16 | Southern Oregon | 9-0 | 360 |
| 10 | 8 | Vanguard (Calif.) | 6-4 | 353 |
| 11 | 18 | Evangel (Mo.) | 9-0 | 323 |
| 12 | 12 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 7-2 | 315 |
| 13 | 10 | Columbia (Mo.) | 4-4 | 303 |
| 14 | 20 | Coastal Georgia | 9-1 | 280 |
| 15 | 25 | Dordt (Iowa) | 7-1 | 263 |
| 16 | 11 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 5-1 | 233 |
| 17 | 15 | Madonna (Mich.) | 8-3 | 232 |
| 18 | 17 | Indiana Wesleyan | 8-2 | 231 |
| 19 | 22 | Hastings (Neb.) | 7-2 | 225 |
| 20 | NR | Montana Tech | 11-2 | 187 |
| 21 | RV | Westmont (Calif.) | 6-2 | 177 |
| 22 | 21 | Grand View (Iowa) | 6-3 | 156 |
| 23 | 19 | Wayland Baptist (Texas) | 9-3 | 141 |
| 24 | NR | Great Falls (Mont.) | 11-3 | 131 |
| 25 | NR | Doane (Neb.) | 8-4 | 96 |
Dropped from the rankings: Davenport (Mich.) (No. 13), College of Idaho (No. 14), Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) (No. 23), Jamestown (N.D.) (No. 24).
Others receiving votes: Bellevue (Neb.) 92; The Master’s (Calif.) 86; College of Idaho 44; St. Thomas (Fla.) 40; St. Catharine (Ky.) 36; MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 31; Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 29; Cornerstone (Mich.) 25; Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 17; Concordia (Neb.) 6; Jamestown (N.D.) 6; Davenport (Mich.) 3.
^Based off 2015 Preseason Coaches’ Poll (Aug. 18, 2015)
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