Lexington, Ky. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association released its Week 3 Top 25 Coaches' Poll Monday evening. The Jamestown Jimmies appeared on the poll for the first time, receiving five points to be ranked inside the Top 25.
 
Week 3 AVCA D-II Coaches' Poll
 
This is a historic moment for the women's volleyball program, the coaching staff, and the University as a whole, marking the first time any team at UJ has received votes in an NCAA Division-II national coaches' poll.
 
Ten games through the season, and in just their second season in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and as members of NCAA D-II, the Jimmies have nearly reached their 10-win total from last season as they are 9-1 overall and 2-0 to begin NSIC play.
 
Jamestown's season started off at the Hardrocker Volleyball Tournament in Rapid City where they went 4-0, beating Lake Superior State University, Chadron State College, the University of Minnesota Crookston, and most impressively, the tournament hosts - South Dakota Mines. Gracie Adamson was named the Hardrocker Volleyball Tournament MVP and Sophie Ketterling was a member of the All-Tournament Team.
 
On the first weekend of September, the Jimmies participated in the Hampton Inn Invitational down in Kenosha, Wis., which featured much improved competition from the previous weekend. Three of their four opponents in the Hampton Inn Invitational were receiving votes in the AVCA Top 25 poll, but UJ was unfazed by the level of play and went 3-1. Their most impressive wins of the season up to this point came on the second day of the tournament, September 5, where they beat (RV) Nova Southeastern University and (RV) Hillsdale College, both in four sets. One day earlier, the Jimmies took down Purdue University Northwest, and battled the hosting University of Wisconsin Parkside Rangers to a five-set loss. Adamson and Charlotte Lempka were both named to the Hampton Inn Invitational All-Tournament Team.
 
NSIC play and the home schedule for Jamestown began this previous weekend with matches against Minnesota State University Moorhead this past Friday, and Minnesota Crookston on Saturday. The Jimmies beat Moorhead in four sets, then had a dominant performance against Crookston the next day, registering a sweep against the Golden Eagles and beginning the season 9-1 and a perfect 2-0 in NSIC action.  
 
After appearing in the poll, the Jimmies join No. 2 Wayne State College, No. 5 Concordia University St. Paul, No. 10 St. Cloud State University, No. 14 Southwest Minnesota State University, and No. 23 University of Minnesota Duluth as the sixth NSIC volleyball team mentioned in the poll in a conference which is consistency near the top for D-II women's volleyball.
 
Despite the strength of the conference, Jamestown is in the top half of the league in many statistical categories. Most notably, UJ averages 2.13 blocks per set, trailing only the University of Sioux Falls among NSIC teams. Their 16.79 digs per set ranks third in the conference. Both the net-front presence and their back-line defense has led opponents to hit just .149 against Jamestown so far this season.
 
The Jimmies have shown tremendous growth from a season ago in just about every way. They are averaging more kills per set (13.6 in 2026, 11.6 in 2025), assists per set (12.5 to 10.6), digs per set (16.8 to 15.1), and are attacking much better (.237 to .169).
 
Through 10 games so far, Adamson has established herself as one of the top players in the conference on both sides of the ball. The senior from Brookings, S.D. currently ranks third in the conference with 3.64 kills per set and 120 overall. Adamson has also been a huge asset while playing in the back row with 3.52 digs per set which ranks her 11^th in the NSIC.
 
Lempka has been another key to the offense with 2.3 kills per set and one of the most efficient attackers in the conference, with a hitting percentage of .400 (76-20-140) which ranks 7^th. Caroline Puetz has also been a great contributor with 2.29 kills per set, a .249 attacking percentage (87-32-221), and leading the team in blocks with 36 (.95 per set).
 
Sophie Ketterling is one of the most impactful players in the NSIC with the defensive specialist averaging 5.55 digs per set to lead the league by quite a large margin. The North Dakota native currently ranks ninth in D-II volleyball, has a reception percentage of .973, and has tallied 40 assists to go along with that. Ketterling has been named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week twice already.
 
Other key contributors for the Jimmies include Ava Bertsch with 5.97 assists per set and 13 service aces, Kate Wiebesiek with 4.53 assists per set and 1.79 digs per set, and Momoka Minamiya with 2.05 digs per set and 13 aces.
 
The Jimmies will look to continue to push their way through the tough Northern Sun, with 18 matches – all conference – remaining in the regular season schedule. Next up for the Jimmies will be their first NSIC road weekend at 10-0 Bemidji State University, then likely their toughest test of the year at No. 23 Minnesota Duluth.