​Aug. 10—SIOUX CITY, Iowa. — Dakota Wesleyan University was picked to finish third in the Great Plains Athletic Conference volleyball preseason poll, which was issued Monday.The 2025 national runner-up Northwestern College totaled 120 points and was picked first in the poll, and the Red Raiders garnered 10 of the 12 first-place votes. Concordia was picked second and picked up 109 points, earning the other two first-place votes, followed by DWU in third with 96 points, followed by Midland at 93 points in fourth and Dordt in fifth with 80 points.The 2026 GPAC volleyball season will consist of 16 conference matches with 12 teams competing for the conference crown. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team in the preseason poll.The Tigers were 20-12 last season and 10-6 in GPAC play, winning a pair of NAIA tournament games and qualifying for the NAIA final site in Sioux City, Iowa with the final 24 teams. DWU finished at No. 18 in the final NAIA coaches top-25 poll for 2025.DWU brings back 2025 All-Americans Kayleigh Hybertson and Lizzie Tyler, who were the conference’s setter and defensive player of the year in 2025. DWU also returns hitters Evy Knoblock and Karly VanDerWerff in their main rotation after getting all-conference consideration in 2025.DWU will play four matches this weekend at the Our Lady of the Lake Invitational in Texas, which opens on Friday, Aug. 14. The Tigers’ first match of the season is at 9 a.m. Friday against Saint Francis (Ind.), before playing Montana Western at 5 p.m. Friday.The Tigers’ home opener will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 9 against Dordt at the Christen Family Athletic Center.GPAC volleyball preseason pollTeams listed by vote points. First-place votes in parentheses.1. Northwestern 120 (10), 2. Concordia 109 (2), 3. Dakota Wesleyan 96, 4. Midland 93, 5. Dordt 80, 6. College Of Saint Mary 68, 7. Morningside 67, 8. Mount Marty 41, 9. Briar Cliff 40, 10. Hastings 33, 11. Doane 28, 12. Waldorf 17