Football | 9/8/2026 11:28:00 AM
September 8, 2026-For the first time in school history the Emporia State football and volleyball teams are nationally ranked in their national coaches polls at the same time. The ESU Volleyball team entered the AVCA National Poll at #25 on Monday night while the Hornet football team entered the AFCA National Poll at #24 on Tuesday morning.
Emporia State is the only school in the MIAA and joins Ferris State, Grand Valley State and Central Washington as the only NCAA Division II schools with both their football and volleyball teams ranked in the coaches Top 25.
The Hornets are 2-0 after defeating then #10 Pittsburg State and are making their first appearance in the AFCA Top 25 since they were ranked #20 in the November 4, 2024 poll. The volleyball Hornets are 7-1 on the season and were last ranked on November 24, 2025 when they were #23 in the AVCA Poll.
Emporia State volleyball puts their national ranking on the line tonight when they travel to Newman for a non-conference match. They will have a Top 25 match-up on Thursday, September 10 when they take on #24 Oklahoma Baptist in the MIAA-GAC Crossover in Shawnee, Okla. The Hornet Football team will have their own Top 25 match-up on Saturday, September 12 when they play host to #20 Michigan Tech in the first game on the new Blackcreek Diesel Field at Welch Stadium.
2026 AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron – September 8, 2026?
| Rank |
School (1st votes) |
Rec. |
Pts. |
Prev. |
| 1 |
Ferris St. (31) |
2-0 |
775 |
1 |
| 2 |
Harding |
1-0 |
744 |
2 |
| 3 |
Kutztown |
1-0 |
707 |
3 |
| 4 |
Minnesota St. |
2-0 |
666 |
4 |
| 5 |
CSU Pueblo |
2-0 |
647 |
5 |
| 6 |
Grand Valley St. |
2-0 |
626 |
7 |
| 7 |
Northwest Missouri St. |
1-0 |
579 |
8 |
| 8 |
Western Colorado |
2-0 |
536 |
11 |
| 9 |
Central Washington |
0-1 |
480 |
6 |
| 10 |
Findlay |
1-0 |
477 |
15 |
| 11 |
Newberry |
1-0 |
463 |
13 |
| 12 |
Western Oregon |
2-0 |
421 |
17 |
| 13 |
Slippery Rock |
1-0 |
361 |
18 |
| 14 |
Indiana (Pa.) |
1-0 |
329 |
22 |
| 15 |
Minnesota-Duluth |
1-1 |
316 |
19 |
| 16 |
Valdosta St. |
2-0 |
284 |
23 |
| 17 |
UIndy |
1-1 |
247 |
9 |
| 18 |
Northeastern St. |
2-0 |
225 |
24 |
| 19 |
Ashland |
0-1 |
170 |
12 |
| 20 |
Michigan Tech |
2-0 |
127 |
NR |
| 21 |
Benedict |
2-0 |
115 |
NR |
| 22 |
Augustana (S.D.) |
1-1 |
112 |
16 |
| 23 |
Frostburg St. |
0-1 |
71 |
14 |
| 24 |
Emporia St. |
2-0 |
60 |
NR |
| 25 |
Pittsburg St. |
0-2 |
57 |
10 |
Others Receiving Votes: West Alabama, 55; Central Oklahoma, 52; Fort Hays St., 41; Carson-Newman, 38; UT Permian Basin, 36; Northwood, 35; California (Pa.), 30; Virginia St., 24; Davenport, 23; Lenoir-Rhyne, 20; East Stroudsburg, 18; Shepherd, 18; North Greenville, 17; Henderson St., 14; Ouachita Baptist, 9; Concord, 8; Virginia Union, 7; East Central, 6; Black Hills St., 5; Fayetteville St., 4; MSU Moorhead, 4; Wingate, 4; Northern St., 3; Walsh, 3; Saginaw Valley St., 2; Arkansas Tech, 1; Assumption, 1; Lincoln (Mo.), 1; Wayne St. (Neb.), 1.
Sept. 7 AVCA-Taraflex Division II WVB Poll
| Rank |
School (First-Place Votes Adjusted) |
Total Points Adjusted |
Record |
Previous Week |
| 1 |
Ferris State [36] |
1,152 |
8-0 |
5 |
| 2 |
Wayne State (NE) [3] |
1,073 |
7-1 |
2 |
| 3 |
Tampa [5] |
1,048 |
6-1 |
4 |
| 4 |
Washburn |
1,005 |
8-0 |
6 |
| T-5 |
Concordia-St. Paul [2] |
901 |
5-2 |
3 |
| T-5 |
Fresno Pacific |
901 |
7-0 |
9 |
| 7 |
Nebraska Kearney |
838 |
8-1 |
8 |
| 8 |
St. Cloud State |
820 |
6-2 |
1 |
| 9 |
Angelo State |
771 |
8-1 |
14 |
| 10 |
Missouri Western |
716 |
7-1 |
11 |
| 11 |
Barry |
646 |
4-2 |
13 |
| 12 |
Southwest Minnesota State |
630 |
6-1 |
10 |
| 13 |
Point Loma |
591 |
4-2 |
11 |
| 14 |
Cal State San Bernardino [1] |
560 |
7-0 |
23 |
| 15 |
Lynn |
512 |
5-1 |
21 |
| 16 |
Alaska-Fairbanks |
450 |
8-2 |
16 |
| 17 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
402 |
6-1 |
RV |
| 18 |
MSU Denver |
365 |
4-4 |
7 |
| 19 |
Grand Valley State |
238 |
6-2 |
20 |
| 20 |
Central Washington |
220 |
4-2 |
21 |
| 21 |
Wingate |
201 |
4-1 |
18 |
| 22 |
Central Oklahoma |
177 |
6-3 |
15 |
| 23 |
Simon Fraser |
167 |
3-3 |
19 |
| 24 |
Oklahoma Baptist |
135 |
7-2 |
RV |
| 25 |
Emporia State |
109 |
7-1 |
RV |
Others receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots: Indianapolis 81; Central Missouri 74; Minnesota Duluth 54; Lewis 49; West Texas A&M 49; University of Texas Tyler 46; Western Washington 45; Concordia (CA) 43; Wisconsin-Parkside 37; Missouri-St Louis 32; Alaska-Anchorage 20; Dallas Baptist 16; Gannon 14; Anderson (S.C.) 13; Colorado School of Mines 12; Alabama-Huntsville 11; Chaminade 7; Colorado Mesa 7; Harding 6
