The Blinn College volleyball team returned to its rightful place among the nation's elite this week, climbing to No. 15 in the national polls after a successful weekend at the Labor Day Classic in Brenham.

The defending national champion Buccaneers, who were left out of the NJCAA preseason poll, won three of their four matches over the weekend to improve to 7-2 on the season. Blinn opened the tournament by sweeping Temple College 3-0, then battled Western Texas College before falling 3-1. The Buccaneers concluded the tournament Saturday with a 3-0 win over Labette (Kan.) Community College and a 3-1 victory over Panola College.

Blinn's only losses this season have come against No. 1-ranked Tyler Junior College and Western Texas, which was ranked 13th in the preseason poll.

Blinn's next competition will come at the Patriot's Day Tournament in The Woodlands beginning Friday. The Buccaneers face Gadsden (Ga.) State at 2 p.m., then Frank Phillips College at 4:30. On Saturday, the Bucs play Hillsboro at 11 a.m., then cap off the tournament with a 4 p.m. match against eighth-ranked Salt Lake Community College.