Columbia, Mo. – This afternoon the NAIA national office announced the first 2018 NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 Poll of the 2018 season. The Cougars who ranked 14th in the preseason poll, moved up 11 spots to third after going 5-1 to begin the season including victories over the number one ranked Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) College Blue Raiders and the fourth ranked Viterbo (Wis.) University V-Hawks.
The Cougars rank in the top 10 nationally in two statistical categories including fifth in blocks per game (2.500) and ninth in hitting percentage (0.269). In addition, Columbia also ranks 35th in kills per game (12.910). The team is led by Ariadne Borges currently ranks fifth nationally in blocks per game (1.290), Manuela Vargas who ranks 12th nationally in assists per game (10.680), Kiersten Anderson who ranks 24th nationally in service aces per game (0.680), Barbara Sabino who ranks 27th in blocks per game (1.110), and Caroline Clifford who ranks 47th in kills per game (3.590).
Quick leaders for the Cougars include Anderson leading the team in aces (0.7), Clifford leading in kills (3.6), Vargas leading in assists (10.7), Thais Andrade leading in digs (4.3), and Borges leading in blocks (1.3).
The Cougars will be back in action on Friday, September 7th, when they travel to Hastings, Nebraska, to compete in the Five Points Bank Invitational. They are set to play the MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) University Pioneers at 1 p.m. followed the 11th ranked Hastings (Neb.) College Broncos at 7 p.m.
