VB: Warriors Tabbed Third in GPAC Preseason Volleyball Poll, Ranked No. 20 in NAIA Poll

Courtesy of Midland Athletics

FREMONT, Neb. – Midland University enters the 2025 volleyball season under new leadership as Micah Rhodes takes over as head coach following the retirement of long-time leader Paul Giesselmann. Rhodes inherits a program with a tradition of success and will look to guide the Warriors to their 12th NAIA Volleyball Championship appearance in the past 13 seasons.

The Warriors will begin their campaign next week at the MBU Invitational in St. Louis, Missouri, followed by the CSM Labor Day Classic. Their home and conference schedule will follow as they aim to contend for both GPAC and national honors.

In the 2025 NAIA Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the team was picked third with 95 points. Additionally, the Warriors are ranked 20th in the NAIA Preseason Coaches’ Poll, which was also released today.

No. 4 nationally-ranked Concordia University tops the GPAC poll with 117 points and seven of the 12 first-place votes. No. 7-ranked Northwestern College follows in second with 115 points and the remaining five first-place votes. Midland sits third, ahead of (RV) Morningside (92) and (RV) Dakota Wesleyan (77) to round out the top five.

Last season, Northwestern claimed both the GPAC regular-season and tournament championships, while Concordia advanced to the NAIA National Quarterfinals in Sioux City, Iowa.

The 2025 GPAC season will feature 16 conference matches among 12 teams. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team in the poll.

The 46th Annual NAIA National Volleyball Championship will be held December 3–9 at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. The NAIA Opening Round is set for Saturday, November 22, with the GPAC regular-season and tournament champions earning the league’s automatic bids to the national tournament. For a complete look at the NAIA Preseason Volleyball Poll, [CLICK HERE].

2025 GPAC Preseason Volleyball Coaches’ Poll