KANSAS CITY, MO. – Eastern Oregon Volleyball has returned to the top of the NAIA rankings, earning 17 of 18 first-place votes to claim the No. 1 spot in the first regular-season edition of the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, announced Wednesday.

The Mounties opened the 2026 season with a perfect 11-0 preseason record, building an impressive resume that included wins over three ranked opponents. EOU defeated preseason receiving-votes Columbia International, preseason receiving-votes Cumberland (Tenn.), No. 15 The Master's and No. 1 Northwestern (Iowa). The Mounties dropped just four sets throughout the preseason and enter the regular season as one of just three undefeated teams represented in the Top 25.

EOU's individual performances have also garnered early recognition from the Cascade Collegiate Conference. Senior outside hitter and returning All-American Keira Vaughn earned the conference's first Attacker of the Week honor of the season after helping lead the Mounties through their opening weekend. Senior outside hitter Brooke Womack followed with the week two Attacker of the Week award after another standout weekend for the EOU offense.

With the preseason officially complete, the Mounties now turn their attention to Cascade Collegiate Conference play. EOU opens conference action on the road this weekend, facing Evergreen on Friday before taking on Northwest on Saturday.

The Mounties will then return to La Grande for their home opener on Friday, Sept. 11, when they host Southern Oregon at 6 p.m. inside Quinn Coliseum.
The Cascade Collegiate Conference was well represented in the first regular-season poll, with Corban moving up to No. 4, College of Idaho climbing to No. 9, Lewis-Clark State jumping to a tie for No. 12, and Southern Oregon moving to No. 18. Bushnell also received votes.

The next regular-season Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 Poll will be released Wednesday, Sept. 16.