INDIANA, Pa. – Following a pair of PSAC West victories over the weekend, IUP volleyball moved up five spots in the latest NCAA Division II NPI rankings, climbing from No. 32 to No. 27 nationally.
The Crimson Hawks remained No. 2 in the Atlantic Region, sitting two spots behind Gannon in the regional rankings. IUP continues to strengthen its postseason résumé as the regular season moves into its final stretch.
IUP is coming off a 2-0 weekend at the KCAC, earning four-set victories over Clarion and Slippery Rock. The Crimson Hawks improved to 18-4 overall and 9-1 in PSAC West play with the pair of wins.
Friday's victory provided IUP with another strong result for its postseason profile as Clarion currently ranks No. 5 in the Atlantic Region and No. 54 nationally in the NPI. The Crimson Hawks dropped the opening set before responding to win three consecutive frames and complete the regular-season sweep of the Golden Eagles.
Senior outside hitter Delaney Concannon powered the IUP attack with 18 kills and 20 digs against Clarion, surpassing 1,000 career digs during the victory. Jessica Neiman added 13 kills, while Charlotte Potvin finished with 10.
The Crimson Hawks carried that momentum into Saturday's matchup with Slippery Rock, earning another four-set victory to complete an unbeaten weekend. Concannon again led the way with 17 kills and 10 digs while hitting .325. She also recorded a season-high six service aces, three total blocks and 24.5 points.
IUP has put itself in strong position within the Atlantic Region heading into the final weeks of the regular season. The NCAA Performance Indicator, or NPI, is one of the primary metrics used to evaluate teams for selection and seeding in the NCAA Division II postseason.
The Crimson Hawks now turn their attention to a rematch with Pitt-Johnstown on Friday in Indiana. IUP will look to avenge its only conference loss of the season after the Mountain Cats defeated the Crimson Hawks in five sets on Oct. 3.
The matchup begins an important closing stretch for IUP as the Crimson Hawks continue to battle for positioning in both the PSAC West and Atlantic Region.
