By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Toledo, Ohio---The Owens Community College women's volleyball team opens the season at No. 3 in the first National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll of the season.

Since 2001, when Owens began competing at the NJCAA Division II level, it marks is the highest ranking the program has achieved to open the season. Including this year, the team has been ranked within the top 10 eight times since then, and this year's ranking tops the 2013 team's No. 4 ranking.

Parkland College, the two-time defending NJCAA Division II national champion, is ranked No. 1, while Lincoln Land College, who finished as the national runner-up in each of the past two seasons, is ranked No. 2.

Owens spent the final four weeks of last season's poll at No. 2, as well as the final seven weeks ranked in the top five.

For the full rankings, visit here.

NOTES

Owens opens the 2017 season on Friday and Saturday in Wisconsin Dells, Wisc. where the team will compete in the Battle for the Dells Invitational. We'll have more information on that and other interesting things in Thursday's season preview at OwensExpress.com.