Valparaiso Tabbed as Volleyball Preseason Favorite

INDIANAPOLIS -- Valparaiso, seeking its first Horizon League volleyball championship since joining the League prior to the 2007 season, has been pegged as the preseason favorite in the 2013 conference race.  The Crusaders received four first place votes to earn the top spot in a preseason poll of the league’s eight head volleyball coaches.  Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team in the poll.

Valpo, which received 44 points in the poll, return six starters and nine letterwinners overall from last season’s squad that finished in a tie for second in the Horizon League regular season and lost in the semifinals of the conference tournament. Morgan Beil and Ellen Vanden Berg, who were both All-League selections last season, headline the returnees. Vanden Berg (319) and Beil (307) combined for over 600 kills last season and over 200 blocks. Vanden Berg’s 144 total blocks last season were the most in the conference.

The Crusaders finished last season with a record of 21-12, their 11th consecutive campaign with 20 or more victories.

Cleveland State came in second in the preseason poll, edging out Milwaukee by one point. The Vikings, who received two first place votes, won the HL regular and tournament championship last season, but were hit hard by graduation as they lost all three of their All-League players from last season as only two starters return for the 2013 season. Sophomore Dayna Roberts, a member of the All-Newcomer team last season, and her 730 assists are back though to direct the CSU attack.

Milwaukee, who like Cleveland State received two first place votes, is looking to bounce back after an injury-plagued 2012 season. UWM had won the Horizon League regular season title in eight of the previous nine seasons heading into last year, but multiple injuries to starters led to a 4-10 League mark. The Panthers return five starters and their libero for the 2013 season, including two-time All-League performer Rachel Neuberger. The senior ranked among league leaders in kills (306), hitting percentage (.294) and blocks (126). Also back for UWM is Julie Kolinske. Kolinske led the Panthers and ranked third in the Horizon League with 399 kills.

The fourth through seventh spot in the polls were tight, as only five points separated the fourth place team (Oakland - 25) from seventh-place Youngstown State (20).

The Golden Grizzlies, in their first season in the Horizon League, return three starters from last year’s team that finished in a tie for third place in the Summit League. Junior Taylor Humm is the top returnee for OU, the outside hitter averaged 2.89 kills per set and 3.67 digs per set last season. |

With 23 points, UIC slipped past Green Bay (22) for fifth place. The Flames finished with a 10-4 League mark last season and advanced to the championship match of the conference tournament, but return just one (MaryKate Imrie) of their three All-League performers from last season. Imrie will be counted on to lead the UIC offense in the fall, the senior led the Horizon League with 1,377 assists last season as she averaged 11.2 assists/set.

Green Bay returns four starters from last season’s 15-14 squad as Michaela Franklin begins her first season with the squad. Monica Anderson (297 kills) and Katie Mroczenski (128 total blocks) both return for the Phoenix.

Youngstown State and Wright State round out the poll. The Penguins had a successful 2012 campaign in their first season under head coach Mark Hardaway as YSU finished with a 15-14 record and advanced to the Horizon League tournament for the first time since the conference started taking only six teams to the conference championship. YSU returns six starters from last season, including All-League performer Missy Hundelt who ranked among league-leaders in kills (369) and kills per set (3.42).

Wright State will look to bounce back from a disappointing 2012 season behind Heidi Splinter (378 kills last season) and Katie Glassmeyer (522 digs).

The volleyball season for all eight teams starts Friday, Aug. 30. The Horizon League Tournament will feature the top six teams in the league and will run from Nov. 22-24, with all matches played at the venue of the No. 1 seed.