Contact: Lou Groce, Director of Media and Information, 920-229-8157

GRINNELL, Iowa – For the second consecutive season the two-time defending Midwest Conference (MWC) Volleyball Champion Cornell College earned all 10 possible first place votes to top the 2014 Volleyball Coaches Poll. 

Voting is done by the MWC head volleyball coaches. Each coach votes for the ten other schools in the conference in order of predicted finish. Points are assigned in reverse order of voting (ten points for first, nine for second, etc.). Coaches may not vote for their own teams.

The Rams earned a perfect 100 points and are currently ranked 24^th in the preseason American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll.  Cornell has won 20 straight conference matches since rejoining the MWC prior to the 2012 season. 

Carroll University barely nudged out St. Norbert College for second place after the Pioneers earned 86 points to the Green Knights’ 84.  St. Norbert ended Carroll’s season last year in the Midwest Conference Volleyball Tournament semifinal. 

Lake Forest College’s 69 points put them in fourth while Ripon College finished fifth with 63 points.  Monmouth College garnered 53 points and finished just ahead of seventh place Lawrence University (52).

Grinnell College came in eighth with 38 points while Beloit College and Illinois College both received 22.  Knox College completed the poll with 16. 

The 2014 MWC volleyball season preview will be released on August 27 with the season starting on August 29.  

2014 Midwest Conference Coaches' Poll (1st Place Votes)	Points
Cornell (10)	100
Carroll	86
St. Norbert (1)	84
Lake Forest	69
Ripon	63
Monmouth	53
Lawrence	52
Grinnell	38
Beloit	22
Illinois College	22
Knox	16