MARSHALL, Texas – History continues to take place for East Texas Baptist University as they are the No. 1 team in the nation for the first NCAA Division III Volleyball NPI rankings. It is the first time that ETBU has ever received a No. 1 ranking for the program, as it becomes the third Tiger program to have a No. 1 ranking. 

 

ETBU received 70.668 points in the NPI ranking, coming ahead of the University of LaVerne's 68.002 points. The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, which ETBU defeated 3-2 earlier in the season, is No. 3 with 67.004 points. Trinity University (TX), which was also beaten by ETBU, 3-1, is No. 11 with 64.273 points. Other teams that ETBU has defeated are No. 32 Northwestern-St. Paul (59.899) and No. 37 Edgewood (WI) (59.322). ETBU will face No. 25 St. Thomas Houston (60.931) this week. 

 

ETBU is 22-0 and 4-0 in the American Southwest Conference. They will host three home matches this week, starting Thursday against St. Thomas Houston at 6:00 p.m. They will face Hardin-Simmons on Friday at 6:00 p.m. and Howard Payne on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Ornelas Gym. 

 

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NPI RANKING - First Release - October 20, 2025
 

Team	Conference	Region	10/19/2025 Result	NPI Rank	NPI	Prev NPI	DIII WL	Adj W/L	Win Value	Loss Value	QWB	vAbove	vBelow
East Tex. Baptist	ASC	REGION X		1	70.688		22-0	10.0-0.0	85.663	56.550	9.113	0-0	22-0
La Verne	SCIAC	REGION X		2	68.002		17-0	10.0-0.0	81.903	54.402	7.501	0-0	17-0
Wis.-Eau Claire	WIAC	REGION VIII		3	67.004		23-2	10.0-2.0	80.506	53.603	6.902	0-1	23-1
Colby	NESCAC	REGION I		4	66.745		17-1	10.0-1.0	80.142	53.396	6.747	0-0	17-1
Wis.-Oshkosh	WIAC	REGION VIII		5	66.224		21-2	10.0-2.0	79.414	52.979	6.435	0-1	21-1
Johns Hopkins	Centennial	REGION V		6	66.181		18-3	10.0-3.0	79.354	52.945	6.409	0-0	18-3
Wesleyan (CT)	NESCAC	REGION I		7	65.989		16-1	10.0-1.0	79.084	52.791	6.293	1-1	15-0
Juniata	Landmark	REGION V		8	65.036		20-2	10.0-2.0	77.751	52.029	5.722	0-1	20-1
Va. Wesleyan	ODAC	REGION VI		9	64.720		22-1	10.0-1.0	77.309	51.776	5.532	0-0	21-1
Ithaca	Liberty League	REGION III		10	64.607		17-3	10.0-3.0	77.149	51.685	5.464	1-1	16-2
Trinity (TX)	SAA	REGION VI	W	11	64.273		17-3	10.0-3.0	76.683	51.419	5.264	0-1	17-2
Ill. Wesleyan	CCIW	REGION VIII		12	64.131		18-2	10.0-2.0	76.484	51.305	5.179	0-1	18-1
Lynchburg	ODAC	REGION VI		13	63.563		19-2	10.0-2.0	75.688	50.851	4.838	0-1	19-1
Wis.-Whitewater	WIAC	REGION VIII		14	62.748		21-3	10.0-3.0	74.547	50.198	4.349	0-1	21-2
Dubuque	American Rivers	REGION IX		15	62.531		20-3	10.0-3.0	74.243	50.025	4.219	0-0	20-3
Hope	Michigan Intercol. Ath. Assn.	REGION VII		16	62.498		18-5	11.0-5.0	74.198	49.999	4.199	1-3	17-2
MIT	NEWMAC	REGION II		17	62.290		16-3	10.0-3.0	73.905	49.832	4.074	0-3	16-0
Berry	SAA	REGION VI	W	18	62.058		18-4	10.0-4.0	73.581	49.646	3.935	0-4	18-0
WashU	UAA	REGION VIII		19	61.956		16-4	10.0-4.0	73.438	49.565	3.874	1-1	15-3
St. John Fisher	Empire 8	REGION III		20	61.894		21-1	10.0-1.0	73.352	49.515	3.837	0-1	21-0
Tufts	NESCAC	REGION I		21	61.479		15-4	13.0-4.0	72.771	49.184	3.588	1-1	14-3
William Smith	Liberty League	REGION III		22	61.144		18-2	10.0-2.0	72.302	48.915	3.386	0-0	18-2
Salisbury	C2C	REGION V		23	61.070		21-5	11.0-5.0	72.198	48.856	3.342	2-2	18-3
Gustavus Adolphus	MIAC	REGION IX		24	61.055		18-5	11.0-5.0	72.178	48.844	3.333	2-1	16-4
St. Thomas (TX)	SCAC	REGION X		25	60.931		18-2	10.0-2.0	72.003	48.745	3.258	0-0	18-2