Class A
(Ranking, Team, Record, Last Week’s ranking)
1. Papillion-LaVista South (41-0) 1
2. Omaha Marian (34-8) 2
3. Omaha Burke (32-7) 3
4. Lincoln Southwest (29-6) 4
5. Bellevue East (30-10) 6
6. Lincoln Northeast (22-17) NR
7. Grand Island (29-6) 5
8. Papillion-LaVista (17-20) 8
9. Millard West (17-17) 9
10. Omaha Westside (18-17) 7

Contenders: Lincoln North Star, Omaha Benson, Kearney

Click to view story on Scottsbluff Star-Herald.

ALLIANCE - Despite having to play 10 sets of volleyball in 24 hours, the Mitchell volleyball team once again emerged victoriously Monday, earning a five-set win over top-seeded Chadron in the championship match of the Class C-1, Sub-district 12 Tournament at Alliance High School.

Mitchell won the first two sets, 25-14 and 25-20, but Chadron rallied to claim the next two sets, 25-18 and 25-14. In the final set, Mitchell prevailed 15-12.

It’s conference tournament time across the state with quite a few already having been completed last week, many more this week and the final ones next week. Conference Tournaments will affect the rankings in all division as many of the top teams likely will face each other. Some those results were reflected in this week’s new NebVolleyball/Jones Insurance Agency, Inc. Rankings for each classification.

Class A
(Ranking, Team, Record, Last Week’s ranking)
1. Papillion-LaVista South (29-0) 1
2. Omaha Burke (24-4) 3
3. Omaha Marian (24-7) 4
4. Grand Island (21-4) 5
5. Lincoln Southwest (23-5) 6
6. Omaha Westside (13-14) 8
7. Bellevue East (23-8) 2
8. Papillion-LaVista (14-16) 7
9. Lincoln Northeast (18-11) 9
10. Millard West (11-13) 10

Contenders: Omaha Benson, Kearney, Bellevue West, Fremont, Lincoln North Star

Click to view story on Scottsbluf Star-Herald.

SIDNEY - In Craig Schadwinkel's 27 years as a volleyball coach at Gering High School, his Bulldog teams have accomplished just about everything.

But on Saturday in Sidney, this year's squad became Schadwinkel's first to win the championship of the Western Conference Tournament four straight times.

Papillion-LaVista South was pushed to the brink of its first loss against St. James Academy in Lenexa, Kan. but survived. Columbus Scotus in C1 also was pushed but remained unbeaten. Lutheran High Northeast in C2 wasn't so lucky as Guardina Angels took down C2's last unbeaten. Paxton and Hitchcock County still are perfect in D1 but could face each other at the conference tournament. Check out all the new NebVolleyball/Jones Insurance Agency, Inc. Rankings for each classification.

Class A
(Ranking, Team, Record, Last Week's ranking)
1. Papillion-LaVista South (25-0) 1
2. Bellevue East (20-5) 4
3. Omaha Burke (23-4) 2
4. Omaha Marian (17-7) 5
5. Grand Island (19-4) 3
6. Lincoln Southwest (18-4) 6
7. Papillion-LaVista (13-10) 7
8. Omaha Westside (11-11) 8
9. Lincoln Northeast (16-11) 9
10. Millard West (9-12) 10

Contenders: Omaha Benson, Kearney, Bellevue West, Fremont, Lincoln North Star

As the fourth week of the season concludes, team are starting to separate themselves and it is reflected in this week’s Sept. 26 NebVolleyball/Jones Insurance Agency, Inc. Rankings for each classification.

Class A
(Ranking, Team, Record, Last Week's ranking)
1. Papillion-LaVista South (15-0) 1
2. Omaha Burke (18-3) 2
3. Omaha Marian (12-4) 3
4. Lincoln Southwest (15-2) 5
5. Grand Island (17-3) 46.
6. Papillion-LaVista (10-9) 7
7. Omaha Westside (6-4) NR
8. Bellevue East (11-5 ) 6
9. Lincoln Northeast (9-7) 8
10. Millard West (8-11) NR

Contenders: Omaha Benson, Kearney , Bellevue West, Fremont

The third week of the season has come and gone. There were some more shake ups among some of the top teams in the lower classifications while most of the larger schools remained relatively unchanged in the Sept. 19 NebVolleyball/Jones Insurance Agency, Inc. Rankings for each classification.

Class A
(Ranking, Team, Record, Last Week's ranking)
1. Papillion-LaVista South (9-0) 1
2. Omaha Burke (13-2) 2
3. Omaha Marian (10-4) 3
4. Grand Island (14-1) 5
5. Lincoln Southwest (14-2) 4
6. Bellevue East (11-3) 6
7. Papillion-LaVista (6-6) 7
8. Lincoln Northeast (9-6) NR
9. Omaha Benson (12-2) 10
10. Bellevue West (10-9) NR

Contenders: Millard West, Omaha Westside, Millard North, Kearney, Lincoln North Star

RAPID CITY - The South Dakota School of Mines women's volleyball team is already building toward the future, signing the first volleyball recruit for the 2011 campaign.

The Hardrocker volleyball program along with head volleyball coach Tiffany Mastin-McCampbell are pleased to announce the signing of Leanne Hinrichs from Chadron, Neb. Hinrichs is a 6-foot-1-inch middle hitter who is finishing up her final season at Chadron High School.

"We are excited about the height and athleticism that Leanne brings to our team," Mastin-McCampbell said. "She has an excellent fundamental base of skills and with time she will only continue to improve as a player."

Click to view story in Scottsbluff Star-Herald

Gordon-Rushville twins Alicia and Alyssa Ostrander made their final time together on the volleyball court a memorable one as the sisters helped the West All-Stars post a thrilling five-set win over the East in the 25th annual West Nebraska All-Star Volleyball Match at Western Nebraska Community College on Saturday afternoon.

Alicia Ostrander, who is headed to Nebraska to play volleyball, led the West with 10 kills. She earned the West MVP honors after helping the West to a 25-18, 25-15, 23-25, 22-25, 15-3 win. It was the West’s sixth straight win over the East.

Please let us know at nebvolleyball@yahoo.com if you verbally commit or sign with a college for volleyball.