2024 NJCAA DI VOLLEYBALL POLL - WEEK 1
Ottumwa, IA – Following a strong start to the 2024 season, the Indian Hills Volleyball team checked in at No. 11 in the first regular season edition of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DI Volleyball poll, announced Tuesday afternoon.
The Warriors, off to a 7-3 start on the year, earned 70 points from the NJCAA DI Volleyball Committee. Through the first 10 matches of the year, the Warriors have secured victories over three teams that appear in the national polls this week – No. 9 Weatherford College (TX), No. 12 Eastern Arizona College, and No. 18 Western Nebraska Community College.
Indian Hills is coming off a 3-1 weekend at the McCook Invite in McCook, NE, winning 11 of 14 sets played, including a pair of 3-0 sweeps.
The Warriors own one of the top offenses in the nation through the early portion of the year. Indian Hills leads all NJCAA members in points (625.0), kills (486), and assists (474). The Warriors are powered by Sara Van Gisteren's (Leuth, Netherlands/Young Talent Academy ROC Nijmegen) national-leading 155 kills. Freshmen Joanna Pawlik (Lublin, Poland/Nauczycieli Tajnego Nauczania) and Piper Nelson (Atkins, IA/Benton) also rank in the top-35 individuals in the kills category. Ana Carolina Westerich's (Blumenau, Brazil/Colégio Energia) 403 assists on the year lead all NJCAA setters to help pace the potent offense.
On the defensive front, Sabrina Nogueira Da Silva (São Paulo, Brazil/Colégio Campos Salles) ranks second nationally with 201 digs while sophomore Daniela De Los Santos Castillo (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Colegio los Clavelines) ranks 14th overall in total blocks with 33 on the year, including eight solo stops.
Florida SouthWestern State College maintained its spot atop the poll followed by Miami Dade College (FL), Northeastern Junior College (CO), New Mexico Military Institute, and Salt Lake Community College (UT) to round out the top-five.
The Warriors are back in action Tuesday night in Hillsboro, MO to take on Jefferson College (MO) at 5:00 PM. Fans can catch the Warriors live against the Vikings here: INDIAN HILLS VS. JEFFERSON
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