LEXINGTON, Ky. – After splitting home matches this past weekend with seventh-ranked Pepperdine University, the McKendree University men's volleyball team moved into this week's at No. 14 in this week's latest NVA/AVCA NCAA Division I-II Coaches Poll that was released Monday afternoon by the AVCA.

Last weekend, the Bearcats hosted Pepperdine for two matches at the Melvin Price Convocation Center as the Waves won Friday's match in three sets, before the Bearcats returned the favor with a thrilling five-set win on Saturday over the Waves. It was the third win this season for the Bearcats over a nationally-ranked team as the Bearcats defeated then 12th-ranked Ohio State on Feb. 10 and then 14th-ranked Loyola-Chicago on Feb. 24. Additionally, the Bearcats are 3-4 this season against nationally-ranked teams.

In this week's poll, McKendree earned 25 points in the poll to sit three points in front of No. 15 NJIT (22 points) and 32 points behind No. 13 Ohio State (57 points). It marks the fourth time this season that McKendree has been ranked 14th in the AVCA poll as they opened the season ranked 14th in the preseason poll, before also being ranked 14th in the first two polls of the regular season on Jan. 10 and Jan. 17.

UCLA (12-2) remains ranked No. 1 in this week's poll as the Bruins earned 282 points and 16 first place votes, while Long Beach State (10-2) remains at No. 2 as they earned 269 points and Penn State (13-3) jumps one spot to No. 3 as the Nittany Lions earned 230 points.

The remainder of the Top 5 this week is Hawai'i (14-3), who is ranked fourth as the Rainbow Warriors earned 222 points and UC Santa Barbara (12-4) remains fifth as they earned 211 points this week.

USC (13-3) is ranked sixth, while Pepperdine (8-6) remains ranked seventh after splitting matches with McKendree and Ball State (11-2) jumps one spot to No. 8. Grand Canyon (9-8) falls one spot to No. 9 and UC San Diego (8-7) remains at No. 10.

Loyola-Chicago (11-6) jumps one spot to No. 11, while Lewis (10-6) drops one spot to No. 12 and Ohio State is 13th.

The MIVA, which is the conference McKendree plays men's volleyball in, is well represented in this week's national rankings as Ball State, Loyola-Chicago, Lewis and Ohio State are ranked, while Purdue Fort Wayne received six votes to sit fourth among the five teams earning votes this week.

The Bearcats will put its national ranking on the line this week as they play three games at the Lindenwood Invitational. McKendree will open the even on Friday, March 11 with a 4 p.m. match against Limestone, before facing Lincoln Memorial on Saturday, March 12 at 2 p.m. in the Melvin Price Convocation Center in Lebanon, Ill.