INDIANAPOLIS--Last week was a trial run, this week it was for real--and the news was very good for Pacific West Conference volleyball teams. 

Point Loma is No. 1 and Fresno Pacific No. 2 in the first official NCAA Division II West Region ranking, announced today (Wednesday) by the national office. In addition to bragging the rights, the team in the top spot in the final ranking in about a week and a half has the first right to host the NCAA West Region tournament. 

Of course, that is still a number of boxes away on the calendar. Looming is a Saturday match-up between the two schools in San Diego with potentially the PacWest title and NCAA ranking on the line. First serve is at 2 pm. 

Last week's listing, which also had Fresno Pacific, Hawaii Hilo and Point Loma in alphabetical order, was a teaser to today's actual ranking. Now, both the Sea Lions and Sunbirds can at least feel secure to make their postseason plans regardless of what unfolds in the coming week. Hawai`i Hilo, at No. 10, still has time to enhance their ranking.

Ultimately, the conference tournament champions from the PacWest, the GNAC and the CCAA will gain automatic NCAA tournament berths, and the next five teams selected will come from this final list for an eight-team tournament. In this list, the GNAC had five teams and the CCAA has two. 

Here is today's ranking, with records against Division II opponents listed.

1. Point Loma (21-2)
2. Fresno Pacific (22-0)
3. Alaska Anchorage (19-5)
4. Alaska Fairbanks (20-4)
5. Simon Fraser (17-4)
6. Western Washington (18-4)
7. Central Washington (16-5)
8. Cal Poly Pomona (18-4)
9. CSU Los Angeles (17-6)
10. Hawai`i Hilo (19-8)

To see the complest list for all eight NCAA regions, click here.