BRENHAM, TX -- Blinn College is the new No. 1 team in the country in this week’s NJCAA Top 20 National Poll, jumping one spot from the second place ranking that was held since week five.

Defending national champion Western Nebraska Community College, who had been No. 1 in all previous seven polls, falls one spot to No. 2 after suffering their first defeat on the season to No. 9 Iowa Western Community College on Monday.

The Bucs are coming off another win over a top-ten opponent, as they defeated No. 6 Tyler Junior College in straight sets (25-18, 25-23, 25-17) in front of a packed Blinn Gym Monday night. The win marked the 15th of the season versus a ranked or previously ranked opponent, with six of those being against top-ten teams. At 28-0 overall and 10-0 in conference play, the Bucs are the only remaining undefeated team in the NJCAA.

The No. 1 ranking marks the second time in the program’s history that the Buccaneers have been ranked as the top team in the nation. In 2009, the Bucs opened the first two weeks of the season in the top spot after winning the program’s first national championship the year prior.

The Bucs next travel to face Concordia University JV this Friday at 4 p.m. in Austin. They then finish up their regular season conference schedule on the road next week at Trinity Valley Community College (Oct. 21) and No. 18 Panola College (Oct. 27). The Bucs then close out the regular season at home Nov. 1 versus Wharton County Junior College at 6 p.m.

NJCAA Poll (October 19, 2011)
1 Blinn College 14 28-0 57 0 2
2 Western Nebraska Community College 9 31-1 60 3 1
3 Western Wyoming Community College 9 28-2 54 0 3
4 San Jacinto College-Central 14 24-3 51 0 4
5 North Idaho College 18 16-6 39 0 8

6 Tyler Junior College 14 21-2 42 0 7
7 Salt Lake Community College 18 19-7 48 0 5
8 College of Southern Idaho 18 17-8 45 0 6
9 Iowa Western Community College 11 33-6 30 0 11
10 Eastern Arizona College 1 23-3 33 0 10

11 College of Central Florida 8 30-5 18 0 15
12 Miami Dade College 8 15-4 36 0 9
13 Seminole State College 2 30-4 24 0 13
14 Northeastern Junior College 9 22-6 21 0 14
15 Paris Junior College 14 24-7 27 0 12

16 Missouri State University - West Plains 16 22-8 15 0 16
17 Jefferson College 16 18-8 0 0 NR
18 Panola College 14 15-7 9 0 18
19 Wallace State Community College-Hanceville 22 31-2 12 0 17
20 New Mexico Military Institute 5 31-2 0 0 NR

Other schools receiving votes
College Region Record Points Last Week
Arizona Western College 1 9-8 0 NR
Barton Community College 6 17-9 6 19
Central Wyoming College 9 20-8 0 NR
Laredo Community College 14 11-7 0 NR