Conference races are taking shape, contenders are separating themselves, and every weekend seems to bring at least one result that forces us to rethink the landscape. With that in mind, it’s time to head back to the pond and break down the biggest storylines from around Division III men’s volleyball.
- We’re past the halfway point of the 2026 season and we have a fairly clear national title picture forming, who do you see as the clearest contenders for a final four run? Who’s a contender, who’s a pretender.
| Team | Ramius | Harvey | Lindsay |
| Springfield | Contender | Favorite | Favorite |
| Stevens | Contender | Contender | Contender |
| Messiah | Contender | Contender | Contender, but would like to see some stability outside of Kagoro |
| Juniata | Contender | Contender | Contender |
| Carthage | Contender | Contender | Final Four |
| Southern Virginia | Final Four | Pretender | Ask me again in late March, but today, pretender |
| California Lutheran | Final Four | Contender | Final Four |
| UCSC | Dark Horse Contender | Pretender | Contender |
| Loras | Contender for the CCIW, not sure if their NPI will be high enough for an at-large | Contender /// In the driver seat for At-Large – need 1 of 3 against Carthage | Contender-Would have loved to see them schedule BW or Cal Lu too |
| Buffalo State | AMCC champion, potentially makes the second round of the tournament. | Pretender | Great year and NCAA tourney team |
| NYU | Potential UVC Champion, Potential Elite 8 team | Final Four | Final Four |
| New Paltz | Potential UVC Champion, dangerous tournament team if they make it. | Pretender | Pretender |
| Wentworth | Potential GNAC Champion, likely second round ceiling. | Pretender | Pretender. I have Lasell as the GNAC champs |
| Aurora | Currently fighting for the NACC Championship, will need to beat both MSOE and Dominican to do it in some capacity. | Pretender | Pretender. I have MSOE as NACC champs |
| MIT | Needs to win the UVC to make the tournament. | Pretender | Pretender. Don’t see them winning the UVC. Youth on this team is fun and could be great |
| Baldwin Wallace | Potential MCVL championship bid, future is a little murky given the Owen Huynh injury, but as of now likely still a tournament team through their conference. | Ask me again at MCVL tournament time. If healthy, yes. | |
| Dominican | Currently fighting for the NACC Championship, will need to beat both MSOE and Aurora to do it in some capacity. | I have MSOE as NACC champs | |
| Randolph-Macon | Likely ODAC Champion, could be an interesting first round matchup for some teams based on seeding | Only 3 matches against ranked teams. Hard to say true ranking | |
| Rutgers-Newark | The surprising result over Stevens puts them in the conversation for a darkhorse CVC contender. | Keep Stevens energy and I’ll call them a contender | |
| MSOE | Currently fighting for the NACC Championship, will need to beat both Aurora and Dominican to do it in some capacity. | My pick to win the NACC |
- Which team outside the top 10 do you see being the most dangerous Dark Horse candidate come April?
Ramius: My pick is UCSC. I honestly think on any given day this squad can go toe-to-toe with the top 5 teams. Getting them in the NCAA tournament is going to be a scary draw for anyone, and they won’t have the luxury of the Slugs being on a multi-match road trip.
Lindsay: Your season isn’t built on a single match, but Rutgers-Newark win over Stevens was surprising. They have Springfield and the CVC in front of them, so a few options to keep them in the mix. I’ve had NYU higher than Ramius/Harvey all year. - Last week we listed the favorites we had for each conference. As things stand, which conference race looks the most volatile, and which already feels decided?
Ramius: Normally I would usually say the UVC, but this year I’m going to have to say it’s the MAC. Stevens and Messiah have been the top dogs in this conference for a while, but this year Messiah with a healthy Kagoro is definitely the team I think is capable of beating Stevens for the MAC championship. Time will tell, and we have a big match to look forward to when they play in conference.
Lindsay: MCVL has some uncertainty with health issues and Calvin getting a big win over Wittenberg. The CVC is more intriguing with Rutgers Newark in the mix. I think Randolph Macon and Endicott are pretty surefire NCAA tourney teams. - What matches are on your radar this week? Is anyone on upset alert?
Ramius: Dominican vs MSOE is the game I have on my radar. The NACC race is currently a three-headed monster between these two and Aurora. Match result here will start to firmly establish the pecking order within the conference.
Lindsay: Vassar over NP. It’s been a rough stretch for Vassar and I feel like they’re in line for a good win.
5. Who are your personal Top 5 teams — and what’s the first team you left out?
Ramius: Springfield, Stevens, Juniata, Carthage, Messiah
Lindsay: Springfield, Carthage, Juniata, NYU, Cal Lu