INDIANAPOLIS – After picking up yet another pair of wins last week to stay undefeated in conference play, Oklahoma Baptist volleyball has been ranked #17 in the first round of the new
NPI (NCAA Power Index) rankings with just five matches left in the regular season.
The Bison (19-4, 11-0 GAC) are in the midst of a 10-match winning streak, are ranked #24 in the latest AVCA-Taraflex Coaches Poll, and have already clinched a spot in the 2026 Great American Conference Tournament. OBU is the highest-ranked GAC team in the NPI and is one of eight Central Region teams in the top 25 of the NPI.
The NPI was adopted by Division II beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, and provides a consistent, data-driven approach to evaluating teams for rankings and championship selections. The NCAA Power Index (NPI) provides an objective, data-driven method to evaluate teams across the NCAA membership while maintaining consistency across sports.
NPI evaluates a team's season by considering both results and the strength of the teams it plays. Each contest produces a value based on whether the team won, lost or tied and the opponent's NPI.
A team's NPI can change throughout the season as:
- The team plays additional contests
- Opponents' NPI values change
- Strength of schedule changes
- Games are added to or removed from the team's adjusted record
The primary purpose of NPI is to compare teams within Division II or Division III for ranking and NCAA championship selection. Once automatic qualifiers are determined, remaining teams are considered for at-large selection based on NPI ranking until the championship field is filled.
NPI may also play a role in championship seeding. Seeding and bracketing procedures vary by division and sport. For more information about NPI and the process surrounding it, click here.
