Thanks in part to back-to-back victories over top-ranked Trinity University last week, the Colorado College volleyball team earned the No. 1 ranking in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III Coaches Poll.
 
The Tigers received 27 first-place votes to vault past Trinity, Carthage College and Transylvania University, which held the top three spots in the previous poll.
 
The top five in this week's poll consists of CC (771 points), Transylvania (728), Trinity (702), Millikin University (660) and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (635).
 
Colorado College, which improved to 6-0, began the two-game series against Trinity with a 25-19, 25-22, 25-21 sweep on Friday night, then came from behind to post a 25-23, 18-25, 23-25, 25-22, 15-9 victory the following morning.
 
"Any time you are ranked No. 1, it is special," head coach Rick Swan said. "We understand that some of the best teams in the country are sidelined due to circumstances beyond their control, but if you beat an experienced and talented team like Trinity twice in less than 24 hours, there's no doubt you would be highly ranked in any normal season.
 
"We'll continue to work hard and take care of the things we can control, like playing the best volleyball possible."
 
The two victories over Trinity were the program's second and third over an opponent ranked No. 1 at the time of the match. In 2017, the Tigers swept Calvin College 25-22, 25-16, 25-22 at the Elmhurst Invitational on Sept. 16.
 
A little more than six weeks later, CC became the first Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference volleyball team to hold the nation's top ranking.
 
Colorado College faces another stiff test this week when the Tigers travel to Georgetown, Texas, for matches against Southwestern on Friday and Saturday.