Volleyball Picked 6th in MIAA Preseason Poll
Aug 5, 2008 | Volleyball
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The University of Nebraska at Omaha volleyball team was picked to finish sixth in the 2008 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Preseason Coaches Poll announced today.
UNO, which will be entering its first season of competition in the MIAA in 2008, returns four starters and eight letterwinners from last season's squad which finished second in the North Central Conference with a 17-9 overall record and an 8-4 league mark.
Defending MIAA champion Truman State was picked to repeat as league champions. Truman picked up five of a possible 10 first-place votes (coaches could not vote for their own school) and scored 93 points. The Bulldogs have five starters coming back into the fold along with their primary libero for 2008.
Two of those returnees -- senior MH Allie Cherven and senior RH Melissa Keck -- were first-team All-MIAA choices last season and All-America selections (Cherven second team, Keck third team).
Washburn was second in the poll with 88 points and two first-place votes following the Lady Blues' regional championship and national semifinal appearance last season.
WU will need to replace three-starters, including first-team All-America Tessa Jones, from the 2007 squad. Senior MH Monica Miesner (first-team All-MIAA, second-team All-America) leads the list of returning Lady Blues.
Pittsburg State earned three first-place votes and 84 points to place third. Junior OH Pamela Cartagena, a second-team All-America in 2007, leads four returning starters for the Gorillas.
Central Missouri picked up the remaining first-place vote and placed fourth in the poll with 72 points. Head coach Peggy Martin, in her 33rd and final season leading the Jennies, has three starters back -- but lost a pair of first-team All-MIAA performers in middle blocker Jillian Ohrman (also a second-team All-America) and libero Audrey Jensen (an honorable mention All-America).
Emporia State was just two points behind UCM to place fifth in the survey. The Hornets return sophomore setter Ting Liu, last season's conference and regional Freshman of the Year. Junior outside hitter Arica Shepard, a first-team All-MIAA and honorable mention All-America selection, also is back for ESU.
The Mavericks, who advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth-straight season in 2007, will need to replace two-time All-American middle blocker Carlie Christensen, all-NCC rightside hitter Nicole McLeod, and two-year starting setter Katie Agnew.
UNO, which will be entering its first season of competition in the MIAA in 2008, returns four starters and eight letterwinners from last season's squad which finished second in the North Central Conference with a 17-9 overall record and an 8-4 league mark.
Defending MIAA champion Truman State was picked to repeat as league champions. Truman picked up five of a possible 10 first-place votes (coaches could not vote for their own school) and scored 93 points. The Bulldogs have five starters coming back into the fold along with their primary libero for 2008.
Two of those returnees -- senior MH Allie Cherven and senior RH Melissa Keck -- were first-team All-MIAA choices last season and All-America selections (Cherven second team, Keck third team).
Washburn was second in the poll with 88 points and two first-place votes following the Lady Blues' regional championship and national semifinal appearance last season.
WU will need to replace three-starters, including first-team All-America Tessa Jones, from the 2007 squad. Senior MH Monica Miesner (first-team All-MIAA, second-team All-America) leads the list of returning Lady Blues.
Pittsburg State earned three first-place votes and 84 points to place third. Junior OH Pamela Cartagena, a second-team All-America in 2007, leads four returning starters for the Gorillas.
Central Missouri picked up the remaining first-place vote and placed fourth in the poll with 72 points. Head coach Peggy Martin, in her 33rd and final season leading the Jennies, has three starters back -- but lost a pair of first-team All-MIAA performers in middle blocker Jillian Ohrman (also a second-team All-America) and libero Audrey Jensen (an honorable mention All-America).
Emporia State was just two points behind UCM to place fifth in the survey. The Hornets return sophomore setter Ting Liu, last season's conference and regional Freshman of the Year. Junior outside hitter Arica Shepard, a first-team All-MIAA and honorable mention All-America selection, also is back for ESU.
The Mavericks, who advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth-straight season in 2007, will need to replace two-time All-American middle blocker Carlie Christensen, all-NCC rightside hitter Nicole McLeod, and two-year starting setter Katie Agnew.
| 2008 MIAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll | ||
| School |
Pts.
|
|
| 1. | Truman State (5) |
93
|
| 2. | Washburn (2) |
88
|
| 3. | Pittsburg State |
84
|
| 4. | Central Missouri (1) |
72
|
| 5. | Emporia State |
70
|
| 6. | Nebraska-Omaha |
56
|
| 7. | Northwest Missouri State |
41
|
| 8. | Missouri Southern |
34
|
| 9. | Fort Hays State |
32
|
| 10. | Southwest Baptist |
19
|
| 11. | Missouri Western |
16
|
| Points awarded on an 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches could not vote for their own school. |
||
Players Mentioned
Wednesday, August 26
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 21
Tuesday, April 21
