INDIANAPOLIS – Four different programs from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference are nationally ranked by the American Volleyball Coaches Association in a new poll that came out Wednesday afternoon.
 
Undefeated Hillsdale (9-0, 7-0) remains ranked No. 1 in all of Division II, Walsh (7-1, 7-1) is entrenched as a top 10 program at No. 7, Findlay (6-1, 6-1) moved up one spot to No. 12 and Cedarville (6-2, 6-2) officially cracked the list for the first time.
 
Ohio Dominican (6-2, 6-2) and Tiffin (6-3, 6-3) are both in the category of receiving votes with 46 and 33, respectively.
 
It is an impressive feat for Great Midwest volleyball student-athletes, who are playing a single-round robin schedule from their delayed regular season from the fall.
 
All six previously mentioned programs have also officially locked in seeding for the Great Midwest Championship tournament field, which features an eight-team bracket.
 
The four nationally ranked teams are on respective win streaks in their own right. Walsh, Findlay and Cedarville, have secured four consecutive victories, while Hillsdale’s dominance is evident at 9-0.
 
The Yellow Jackets are the newest faces to the AVCA Poll while being road warriors in their recent stretch. Cedarville has won at Kentucky Wesleyan, Tiffin, Ohio Dominican and Lake Erie, in order to catch the attention of the voting committee.
 
Cedarville was also rewarded with a conference player of the week sweep (Liene Miller, Mallory Delamarter) and middle blocker Lauren Willow is fourth in the league in hitting percentage (.401) and sixth in blocks per set (0.93). Even more impressive is her status as a provisional indoor track and field qualifier in the high jump along with her teammate Lyssi Snouffer.  
 
Cedarville’s bid for a fifth straight win in the conference schedule was interrupted by postponement from COVID-19 protocol vs. prospective opponent Ohio Valley.
 
Hillsdale and Findlay remain No. 1 and No. 2 in the league in hitting percentage led by their respective star combos of Allyssa Van Wienen/Karoline Shelton and Hannah Warrington/Emily Annesser.
 
Walsh’s Olivia Macuszak is fourth in the league in kills per set (3.72) and setter Olivia Kearns is one of just four setters in the conference averaging double-digit assist totals.
 
A handful of teams have plenty of time to work their way back into the playoff picture with two spots remaining in the tournament field. On Friday, Trevecca Nazarene has two current league leaders in hitting percentage (Austyn Baldwin) and kills per set (Ellie Buffler) as the Trojans host Lake Erie tomorrow. Malone takes on Walsh in North Canton as their rivalry continues and Ursuline and Kentucky Wesleyan will battle in a very important matchup for a win in the league standings.