When in-state rivals North Idaho College and College of Southern Idaho meet on the volleyball court Saturday night, it won't be just another SWAC matchup.
It's the nation's top-ranked junior college volleyball team taking on the second-ranked junior college volleyball team.
CSI, ranked no. 1, plays at NIC, ranked no. 2, Saturday night at 3 PM in Coeur d'Alene.
NIC is offering free admission to fans that wear Cardinal red in an attempt to pack Christianson Gym.
Both teams feature home-grown products. CSI's roster includes Charelle Minor (Century), Laticia Lehman (Vallivue), Danielle Dean (Mountain Home), Amanda Filiaga (Highland), Chauncee Axelson (Hagerman), and Jesse Dill (Dietrich). NIC's roster lists Aubree Chesnut (Post Falls), Maddeline Dolny (Moscow), Callie Johns (Emmett), and Mesa Middleton (Emmett).
Non-Division I volleyball in Idaho has a track record of being outstanding (to be fair, there is some history of D-1 success as well). Lewis Clark State College is ranked 11th in the NAIA national poll while the College of Idaho is 8th in the same list. Plenty of Idaho women on both teams... including honorable-mention All-American Kristin Henning (Boise) at the C of I and Lisa Davis (Genesee) at LCSC, she led the Warriors in assists last year as the team reached the NAIA national tournament.
NCAA Division-II Northwest Nazarene improved to 10-5 overall on Thursday night with a win and the Crusaders, at 3-1 in conference play, are among the early-season leaders in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.