Which match result this past week caught your eye the most?
Lindsay: I wrote last week about Springfield vs Vassar and it didn’t disappoint. The match was dominated by the teams rightsides. Kim/Ramsey had 27 kills in the 6-2, while Sam Levinson emerged as a rookie of the year candidate for Springfield. 19 kills with a .407 hitting percentage is a huge night for the first year. Both teams won in three the next night.
Harvey: Lots of showdowns this week. Clash at Kean, the Cougar Kickoff Classic, Bengal Invite, and of course the FrogJump Invitational. But two upsets caught my eye, Arcadia knocking off Cal Lutheran at the end of their east coast swing. Maybe the Knights should be in the mix of MAC #2 behind Stevens. The other I was surprised about was an Illinois Wesleyan sweep of Aurora. While still a younger program, IWU has a rich history of athletic success and maybe men’s volleyball is next for them.
Ramius: I was on site in Juniata all weekend for the FrogJump Invitational, and I honestly just want to give a public shout out to Mount Union for their performances this weekend. The Purple Raiders did not disappoint in Huntingdon, and put on one of the best displays of grit and resilience I’ve seen live in their matches against some of the Blue Blood programs of D3VB. They played hard, and I was beyond impressed.
Who are your early season favorites to win each conference?
| Conference | Ramius | Harvey | Lindsay |
| UVC | Vassar | St. John Fisher | Vassar |
| CVC | Southern Virginia | Southern Virginia | Southern Virginia |
| NACC | Benedictine | Benedictine | Dominican |
| MAC | Stevens | Stevens | Stevens |
| CCIW | Loras | Loras | North Central |
| MCVL | Baldwin Wallace | Baldwin Wallace | Baldwin Wallace |
| CUNY | Baruch | Hunter | Hunter |
| GNAC | Wentworth | Wentworth | Wentworth |
| SKYLINE | SJLI | St. Joe’s (LI) | SJLI |
| AMCC | Geneva | PSU Behrend | Geneva |
| UEC | Lancaster Bible | Lancaster Bible | Lancaster Bible |
Who’s taken the early lead to secure the three independent bids this years far?
Ramius: As of this moment I’d have to say it’s Cal Lutheran, Springfield, and Nichols. Cal Lutheran has the most impressive resume of all the independents so far, they’re easily locked at this point barring any end of season meltdowns. Springfield’s victory over Vassar is a huge out of region win for the Pride, their wins over Rivier, SJLI, and Lasell will have them near the top of their region as of now. Nichols has the next best resume of the remaining independents, and they have a huge opportunity to secure a bid this year with two matches against Springfield later in the season.
Harvey: I would say 2 of the 3 Pool B bids are near locks at this point. Cal Lutheran has grabbed a number of important results in January & Springfield’s aforementioned big win over Vassar is huge for their future selection profile. The big question is what will happen with bid 3- UCSC saved their season from imminent doom with a win over SJF but may have put themselves 6 feet under with a loss to Buffalo State hours later. Nichols has a few important wins but future matchups with Springfield loom large.
Lindsay: Harvey summed it up well. To note, Nichols has maybe 4 ranked matches left this season. UC Santa Cruz has 7.
What matches do you have on your radar this upcoming week? Who is on upset alert?
Ramius: The Statesmen Volleyball Classic would be what I’d watch if I wasn’t preparing for my own matches this week. Wentworth, Baldwin Wallace, and Misericordia are traveling to take on the first year program Hobart. Anytime a collection of top 20 teams assemble to play is enough to warrant my attention, so I’d recommend watching it if you’re able to.
Harvey: There are a few regional showdowns on Thursday night that I am looking forward to. A much improved Dominican squad is taking on Carthage after last year’s instant classic match. Additionally I am looking forward to Nichols and Lasell to face off on that same night. Jordan Shinaut is starting to find his form for Lasell and Nichols has one of the nation’s most creative offenses. I am excited to see all the firepower on display in this one.
Additionally, I have no upset picks this week. I think every favorite will win the match.
Lindsay: Loras vs Benedictine. According to our early favorites for conference, both these teams show up on at least one list. Nobody is hotter than Loras right now after wins against Cal Lu and Dominican. Loras is hosting the Final Four this year and you know they’d love to play some home games at the end of the season.
Who are your personal top 5?
Ramius: Wentworth, Stevens, Southern Virginia, Springfield, Vassar
Harvey: Wentworth, Stevens, Southern Virginia, Springfield, Cal Lutheran
Lindsay: Wentworth, Stevens, Springfield, Southern Virginia, Cal Lutheran