St. Thomas, Reinhardt Receive Votes in NAIA Men's Volleyball Poll

(Story provided by NAIA Athletic Communications)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The first regular-season NAIA Men's Volleyball Top 15 brings a wave of early‑season momentum shifts, highlighted by several undefeated teams climbing rapidly through the rankings.

Two Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) teams received votes.

St. Thomas leads the way with 54 voting points to land at No. 8. Meanwhile, Reinhardt collected 14 voting points to fall three spots outside the top 15.   

	1. The Master's (Calif.) Games prior to next poll: Feb. 21 Vanguard  The Master's men's volleyball team has opened the season with an impressive 4–0 start, in their four-match stretch, the Mustangs hit over .300 three times—including a dominant .531 performance against Long Island University—while also displaying resilience, as seen in their four-set wins over Saint Xavier (Ill.) and Concordia Irvine. Isaac Seltzer has powered the offense with 58 kills at a .385 clip, averaging an outstanding 4.14 kills per set, while Trace Oswald and Ezra Vlad have added reliable secondary scoring with efficient swings and timely attacks. Setter Matthew Hamm has anchored the offense with exceptional distribution, averaging 10.00 assists per set, helping the Mustangs maintain a fast, dynamic rhythm.
	2. Saint Xavier (Ill.) Games prior to next poll: Feb. 13 Georgetown (Ky.), Feb. 17 Calumet (Ind.), Feb. 21 St. Ambrose (Iowa), Feb. 21 Cornerstone (Mich.), Feb. 23 Trinity Christian (Ill.) Saint Xavier men's volleyball is off to a strong 6–2 start, riding a five‑match winning streak and showcasing a powerful, well‑balanced offense led by multiple high‑impact hitters. Graduate outside hitter Matt Pennala has been a dominant force, averaging 4.04 kills per set with 128 total points, while junior Caydann Cox provides an equally explosive presence at 3.19 kills per set. The Cougars' efficiency at the net has been bolstered by freshman middle Hayden Grange, who's hitting an impressive .520 on the year, and setter Cameron Daniels, directing the offense, who distributed more than 10 assists per set and has won the first two NAIA Setter of the Week Awards this season. After early road losses to The Master's (Calif.) and Concordia Irvine, Saint Xavier has rebounded, sweeping four of its last five matches and posting hitting percentages over .400 in several outings, including standout wins over Vanguard and Grand View (Iowa).
	3. Park (Mo.) Games prior to next poll: Feb. 12 Culver-Stockton (Mo.), Feb. 14 Missouri Valley, Feb. 17 Ottawa (Kan.), Feb. 20 Mount Mercy (Iowa), Feb. 21 Clarke (Iowa), Feb. 24 Kansas Wesleyan Park men's volleyball has opened the season with a flawless 9–0 record, thanks to a deep attacking core led by Adrian Figueroa and Murillo Silva, who are each averaging an impressive 4.25 and 3.79 kills per set while hitting over .400. Park's efficiency at the net has been exceptional, with multiple hitters—including Mihailo Ivanovic, Moises Ortiz, and freshman standout Kaabeche Abdelmouaiz—swinging above .375 on the year. Their offense has been powered by strong setting from Jovan Nikolic and Umberto Caleca, who together distribute over 16 assists per match. With consistent production across five hitters averaging over two kills per set, plus high-impact depth from freshmen and seniors alike, Park has swept five opponents and battled through tough wins over Rockhurst and Oakland City (Ind.).
	4. Missouri Valley Games prior to next poll: Missouri Valley has opened the season with a flawless 8–0 record with senior opposite Luca Hasse as the driving force of the attack, averaging 2.91 kills per set while hitting an impressive .443 to anchor the Vikings' offense. Freshman standouts Bart Mulder and Andrey Bastos have added reliable scoring on the pins, combining for nearly four kills per set and providing steady production in high‑pressure moments. Missouri Valley's middle blockers have been equally impactful, with veterans like Pedro Berti and Arthur Martenelli delivering a strong blocking presence and efficient hitting above .395. The Vikings' offense runs smoothly behind setter Leonardo Goncalves, whose 7.88 assists per set have kept the attack dynamic and unpredictable. Supported by a stable back‑row rotation and consistent serve‑receive, Missouri Valley has swept four opponents and secured key wins both at home and on the road.
	5. Campbellsville (Ky.) Games prior to next poll: Feb. 13 Bethel (Ind.), Feb. 14 Governors State (Ill.), Feb. 20 IU East (Ind.), Feb. 24 Brescia (Ga.) Campbellsville men's volleyball has opened the season with an undefeated 10–0 start, establishing itself as one of the hottest teams in the NAIA with a deep, dynamic roster and impressive consistency across every matchup. Offensively, Campbellsville spreads the attack with remarkable balance: Ayoube Hamadache leads the team with 2.69 kills per set, while middle Pedro Zavatini has been incredibly efficient at a .509 hitting percentage. Freshman Savvas Christou and junior Denzel Madrigal add additional scoring punch on the pins, combining for over five kills per set. Setter Alonzo Vega has been the engine of the Tigers' offense, averaging 10.5 assists per set.

Dropped from the Top 15: Westcliff (Calif.), Missouri Baptist, Benedictine Mesa (Ariz.), Hope International (Calif.) 

Receiving Votes: Westcliff (Calif.) 22, Missouri Baptist 16, Reinhardt (Ga.) 14, Cornerstone (Mich.) 10, Oakland City (Ind.) 9

Poll Methodology

• The national poll is for publicity purposes only and does not influence the selection process for national championship consideration.
• A panel of head coaches representing each conference and the Continental Athletic Conference (Independents) votes in the poll.
• The Top 25 teams are selected using a points-based system:
  • 30 points for a 1st-place vote, 29 for 2nd, 28 for 3rd, and so on.
• The highest and lowest rankings received by each team are discarded before final tallying.
• Teams receiving only one point are not listed as "receiving votes."
• For the Preseason Poll, there is no "previous ranking" column since it is the initial poll and differs from the prior rating system. 

Key: RV - Receiving Votes, NR - Not Ranked, ▲- Climbed, ▼- Dropped, ● - Steady