HELENA -- The Frontier Conference's volleyball coaches selected Montana Tech third in the league's preseason poll, the conference office announced Monday afternoon.
The Orediggers picked up 96 points in the poll, which includes all 12 institutions in the newly expanded Frontier Conference. League newcomer Bellevue, the 2024 national runner-up, claimed 10 of the dozen first-place votes en route to preseason favorite status. Second-place Providence, the Frontier's defending champion, laid claim to the other two top votes and 110 points in the poll. Tech's 96 led fourth-picked Montana Western by three.
See below for the full 2025 Frontier Conference preseason volleyball coaches' poll.
Montana Tech posted a 20-12 record in the 2024 campaign, ranking No. 21 in the country at season's end and reaching the NAIA national tournament for a fourth-consecutive season. The Orediggers won their opening-round game at home against Bushnell before losing out in pool play at the final site in Sioux City, Iowa.
Five Orediggers return this season with All-Frontier Conference accolades under their respective belts – senior outside
Kinnidi Willmore was a first-team honoree in 2024; junior setter
Rhys Layton was a second-teamer; and defensive specialist
Brooklynn Hayes, defensive specialist
Austin Long, and outside
Piper Jette were on the all-freshman team. Jette won freshman of the year honors. That quintet joins a talented group of returning contributors and newcomers on the Montana Tech roster.
The Big Sky Volleyball Classic heralds the 2025 season's beginning, starting August 21 as Montana Tech plays host to Campbellsville at the Butte Civic Center in a 4 p.m. match. It's the first of three opening-weekend matches for the Orediggers.
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| 2025 Frontier Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll |
| Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Total Points |
| 1 |
Bellevue (Neb.) (10) |
120 |
| 2 |
Providence (Mont.) (2) |
110 |
| 3 |
Montana Tech |
96 |
| 4 |
Montana Western |
93 |
| 5 |
Dakota State (S.D.) |
74 |
| 6 |
Carroll (Mont.) |
70 |
| 7 |
Valley City State (N.D.) |
68 |
| 8 |
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
45 |
| 9 |
MSU-Northern |
40 |
| 10 |
Dickinson State (N.D.) |
27 |
| 11 |
Mayville State (N.D.) |
24 |
| 12 |
Bismarck State (N.D.) |
22 |
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