United Volleyball Conference institutions NYU, Vassar College, Hobart College, St. John Fisher University, Nazareth University, MIT and SUNY New Paltz are represented in the 2025 National Volleyball Association (NVA)/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Preseason Coaches Poll, released on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

NYU is the highest ranked UVC team at No. 2, having earned 555 points and one first place vote in the preseason poll. The Violets, who won the 2024 UVC Championship, advanced to the NCAA National Semifinals and finished 20-8, open the 2024 season on Jan. 17-19 and will be tested right away in Illinois with matches versus Illinois Institute of Technology, Benedictine University and No. 18 North Central College.

Vassar, the defending NCAA National Runner-up, is ranked No. 6 to start the season with 436 points in the preseason poll. Vassar, begins the season on Jan. 17-19 with three matches at Kean University versus New Jersey City, host Kean and No. 9 Wentworth Institute of Technology.

Hobart, in its second season as a Division III program, is ranked in the preseason poll for the first time at No. 10 with 291 points. St. John Fisher, the 2022 UVC Champion and two-time NCAA Tournament participant, opens the season ranked tied 11th in Division III with 257 points in the preseason poll. Hobart opens with four matches at the SUNY Poly Invitational on Jan . 11-12, while St. John Fisher heads to Angola, IN for three matches at the Trine University quad match.

Nazareth, who won 20 matches in 2024, is 17th in the national poll to begin the season, with 114 points. Like Hobart, Nazareth is in action this weekend at the SUNY Poly Invitational. MIT is 20th nationally with 61 points. The Engineers hosts American International College and Emmanuel College on Jan. 18.
 
SUNY New Paltz is just outside the top-20, with 19 points in the preseason poll. The Hawks open the 2025 season in California against Menlo College on Jan. 15 before playing four more matches on the west coast that weekend, including one against 2024 NCAA Division III Champion, No. 3 Cal Lutheran on Jan. 18.

ABOUT THE UNITED VOLLEYBALL CONFERENCE
The members of the United Volleyball Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices.
 
For more on the UVC visit www.theuvc.org.