HICKORY, N.C. — The Catawba Valley Community College volleyball team is ranked in the initial preseason poll by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

The poll, which was released on Monday, places the Red Hawks in 12th nationally to start the 2021 campaign.

"It is always an honor to be ranked among the top junior colleges in the nation and something we do not take for granted," said second-year CVCC head volleyball coach Madison Pogue. "I think we learned a lot as a team from our run last year. I know as a coach I definitely did."

Catawba Valley is coming off a 21-5 season that was shifted from the fall 2020 to spring 2021 due to COVID-19. The Red Hawks finished 10-0 in Region 10 play and clinched their ninth-straight Region championship.

CVCC also advanced to the NJCAA Division II Championship for the 10th time in program history.

The Red Hawks kick off their 2021 campaign on Saturday with preseason scrimmages against Lenoir-Rhyne (10 a.m. and 2 p.m.) and North Greenville (11 a.m. and 1 p.m.) at the Tarlton Complex.

Catawba Valley's regular-season opener is slated for the Owens Invitational on Aug. 27-28 in Perrysburg, Ohio.

"We are all very excited to get the season started and see what this team can really do," Pogue said.