NORTHAMPTON, Mass. — Smith College is ranked No. 24 in the AVCA-Taraflex Division III Women's Volleyball Coaches Poll released Tuesday, marking the first Top 25 ranking in program history. The Bears (15-1, 4-0 NEWMAC) collected 236 points after receiving votes for the first time this season in last week's poll.

Smith enters the week on a six-match winning streak and remains unbeaten in NEWMAC play. The Bears are 7-0 at home, 3-0 on the road and 5-1 at neutral sites, with their lone loss coming against William Smith on Sept. 19 at the New England Classic. The signature result of the season came Sept. 26, when Smith won 3-1 at then-No. 19 Babson, which sits at No. 18 in this week's poll.

The NEWMAC places three teams in the Top 25, with MIT at No. 5, Babson at No. 18 and Smith at No. 24. Emerson also received votes. Wisconsin-Oshkosh holds the top spot with 71 of 76 first-place votes, followed by Illinois Wesleyan, Carnegie Mellon, Wisconsin-Eau Claire and MIT.

Two more ranked opponents remain on the Bears' regular-season slate: No. 7 Wesleyan visits Ainsworth Gym on Oct. 23 in the NESCAC-NEWMAC Challenge, and No. 5 MIT comes to Northampton on Nov. 3. The next AVCA poll will be released Oct. 13.

Smith hosts WPI in NEWMAC action tonight at 7 p.m. at Ainsworth Gym.

About Smith Athletics
Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information, log on to GoSmithBears.com and follow the Bears on Facebook and Instagram.