Eastern Oregon University Remains No. 1 in NAIA Volleyball Rankings
By Garrett Christensen on Thursday, September 14th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – (Release from Eastern Oregon University) The latest 2023 NAIA Women’s Volleyball Coaches Top 25 Rating has reaffirmed Eastern Oregon’s position across the country, ranking them No. 1 for the second consecutive poll. The Mountaineers boast an unblemished record this season, standing strong at 11-0 overall and maintaining a perfect 4-0 record in the CCC play.
The Mountaineers resume to this point includes wins over four NAIA Top 25 teams, including a sweep of No. 19 ranked and CCC opponent, Southern Oregon. Eastern Oregon has been led by the duo of Alexis McMurtrey and Hannah Ledgerwood throughout the season, tallying 193 and 177 total assists, respectively. Sade Williams continues to be an offensive force, averaging 3.06 kills per set, while Kiauna Mack has amassed 38 blocks in just eleven games.
The rating, determined by a unique points system and voted upon by a panel of head coaches from various conferences and groups, saw the top three spots remain unchanged from last week. Eastern Oregon is trailed by Concordia (Neb.) and Northwestern (Iowa), with Indiana Wesleyan making a significant leap into the Top 5.
The Mounties reached their first ever No. 1 national ranking last season, before finishing the season with their highest win total ever and going 34-3 on their way to the program’s first ever NAIA Championship Semifinal appearance. This year’s team holds high expectations for the season, but remains focused on giving their best performance in every upcoming contest they face.
“We are very humbled by being named #1 in the country for consecutive rating periods” says head coach Kaki McLean Morehead. “While this is an incredible achievement for our program, we understand that it takes an incredible amount of work to get to where we want to be. What our main focus for the week is growing in the gym, growing our minds and what’s important next.”
The Mountaineers are gearing up for their next challenge as they travel to Kirkland, Washington this weekend. They will face Northwest University on September 15th at 7:00 p.m.
