Cobbers Picked Third In MIAC Preseason Poll
MIAC volleyball preview courtesy of Matt Higgins and the MIAC
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) was clearly one of the deepest and most-talented volleyball leagues in all of Division III in 2011, evidenced by four teams earning a bid to the national tournament. However, the MIAC enters the 2012 season with expectations of that strength and depth to continue in full force.
A season ago, Concordia and St. Thomas led the way, sharing the MIAC regular season crown, then each achieving significant postseason success. The Cobbers outlasted the Tommies to claim the MIAC Playoff title, while UST got revenge in the NCAA Regional championship to advance to the national quarterfinals. This year, those teams will again be among the elite in the MIAC - and the nation - as St. Thomas opens ranked No. 7 in D-III, and Concordia is tied for the No. 19 ranking in the nation.
Saint Benedict - one of the MIAC's other NCAA tournament teams and a MIAC Playoff semifinalist a year ago - also received votes in the national preseason poll. The Blazers were the sixth team in the "Others receiving votes" section, essentially ranking them 31st in Division III. Bethel also returns a strong team after advancing to the second round of the national playoffs in 2011.
The MIAC's success was highlighted by those teams a year ago, but it certainly wasn't limited to just the teams at the top. As a whole, the MIAC had four 20-win teams, with seven teams winning at least 16 matches and 10 of its 12 teams won at least 13 matches. Remarkably, three-fourths of the conference (9 of 12) finished above .500 overall.
Those facts, couples with the excitement surround the returning stars and bright new faces have campuses across the conference eagerly anticipating the start of the season. The action begins next weekend, and another action-packed fall of MIAC volleyball is sure to transpire.
Tommies top preseason prediction
In addition to its top-10 ranking and Elite 8 run a year ago, St. Thomas also opens the 2012 season as the favorite to claim another league title. UST received 10 of 12 first-place votes and 120 total points to headline the 2012 MIAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll. Thanh Pham's club has won or shared each of the last five league titles, so it's no surprise to see their name on the top line once again.
MIAC coaches expect Saint Benedict to continue its rise in 2012, tabbing the Blazers to finish second with the other two first-place votes and 103 total points. The 19th-ranked Cobbers came in third after sharing the 2011 title with the Tommies with a total of 91 points, and lead a group of four extremely close teams. Just 13 points separate Concordia, No. 4 Bethel (89 points), No. 5 Gustavus (80) and No. 6 Augsburg (78 points), as the coaches predict all six MIAC Playoff teams from a year ago will again make the postseason field.
The next trio of teams, which could also challenge for Playoff bids, was grouped even closer. Saint Mary's snuck out a seventh-place finish with 55 points, while St. Olaf (54) was just a point behind in eighth and St. Catherine (53) was one more point behind in ninth. Carleton (36), Hamline (22) and Macalester (11) rounded out the final three spots in the preseason poll.
Calm on the coaching front
While some other MIAC sports saw turnover in the head coaching ranks, volleyball remains the most stable group for the second-straight season. Prior to the 2010 campaign, exactly half of the teams hired new coaches, but there hasn't been a change in the league since, creating an interesting dividing line between the league's seasoned veterans and the rookie class of 2010.
Concordia's Tim Mosser and St. Olaf's Cindy Book are each starting their milestone 20th seasons with their respective teams to headline the veteran half of the MIAC coaching ranks, which features six coaches who have all been in their current roles for at least 10 seasons. Joining Mosser and Book are Saint Mary's Mike Lester (15th season), Carleton's Heidi Jayne's (14th season), Bethel's Gretchen Hunt (12th season) and St. Thomas' Pham (10th season).
Meanwhile, Augsburg's Jane Becker, Gustavus' Rachelle Dosch, Hamline's Audrey Ludwig, Macalester's Annie Doman, Saint Benedict's Nicole Hess and St. Catherine's Corey Phelps are all entering their third season in their current positions. However, Hess was a veteran head coach in the league prior to her hiring at CSB - she preceded Phelps at St. Catherine from 2003 to 2009, also making her a 10-year MIAC coaching vet.
Who's back?
MIAC Player-of-the-Year Jenna Green graduated from Concordia's star-studded lineup, but the seventh-ranked Tommies bring back two individual award-winners to headline all the returning talent in the league. Kaitlain Wachter is back for her senior season as the Tommies' libero after earning MIAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year honors in addition to AVCA All-American, All-Region and All-MIAC recognition. Also back for Pham's squad is sophomore middle Kelly Foley, the MIAC Rookie-of-the-Year and Division III National Freshman-of-the-Year to go along with All-Region and All-MIAC honors in her stellar rookie campaign.
A pair of two-time All-MIAC middles are also back to write the final chapter to their outstanding careers. St. Olaf's Ari Carlson and Bethel's Caitie Helle will again be two of the top hitters in the league as they seek their third-straight All-Conference honor. Helle's teammate, Amy Baumetz, was also an All-MIAC middle last season and another reason for the Royals' high hopes.
Saint Benedict also had a standout freshman a year ago, and Alexa Rinde is back at her outside hitter spot for the Blazers after earning All-MIAC honors in 2011. She'll team up with Lexi Alm, who topped the 300 mark for both digs and kills last season. Augsburg brings back its top player - All-MIAC setter Emily McCourt - for her junior season, and All-MIAC hitter Laura Avena is also a junior on Macalester's roster. Both Carleton and St. Catherine bring back an All-MIAC senior hitter as Jessa Youso returns for the Knights and Brittni Wangerin is back in the Wildcats' lineup.
The Cobbers graduated some of their top talent, but have a talented tandem of hitters ready for expanded roles in Allison Bruggeman and Kelly Reed. Emily Phillips is Gustavus' top returning hitter, and she'll team up with sophomore defensive specialist Paige Brenneman, who had a great rookie year with a team-high 439 digs. Saint Mary's offense will be in good hands with junior setter Lexi Assimos, who handed out 1,036 assists in 2011, and Hamline's excited to bring back its top hitter - Sam Greeney-Hamlin - and assist leader - Sammie Miller - from a season ago.
Circle these dates
The long wait for the season to start is almost over, with most teams starting the 2012 season in just eight days. Many MIAC teams start at various tournaments on Aug. 31 and roughly two weeks of nonconference play to open the season. Conference play and the quest for the MIAC title begins on Sept. 12 and runs through the season's final day, Saturday, Oct. 27. The MIAC Playoffs will follow, with quarterfinals on Oct. 30, semifinals on Nov. 1 and the championship on Nov. 3.
There are several standout matchups that highlight the schedule over the next two months, starting with the top two teams from the coaches' poll squaring off in an all-important MIAC match. St. Thomas will host Saint Benedict on Sept. 22 at 3 p.m. in an early-season match with big-time seeding and championship implications. The MIAC's other two NCAA tourney teams - Concordia and Bethel - will meet in Moorhead a few days earlier, with the Royals heading north for a 7 p.m. match on Sept. 19.
Augsburg and Gustavus square off in a key match in Minneapolis on Sept. 29 at 5 p.m. with another fun twist. Augsburg's Becker and Gustavus' Dosch played together at St. Thomas and coached together prior to their head coaching jobs in the MIAC. Macalester and Carleton will also meet that day at 3 p.m. in a battle of two of the MIAC's premier academic teams in a key match for squads looking to move up in the standings in 2012.
Veteran coaches Book and Lester will go head-to-head in a MIAC match on Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. in Northfield, and after both St. Olaf and Saint Mary's missed the postseason a year ago, this could be a huge key to one of them working their way back towards the top. St. Paul rivals St. Catherine and Hamline square off on the Pipers' home court on Oct. 3 as well at 7 p.m. in an important match of teams on the rise.
Click here for the complete MIAC volleyball preview
2012 MIAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Coaches voted for every team in the conference except their own team. Points were assigned for each vote (11 for first, 10 for second, etc.) Teams are ranked in order of highest point total to lowest with vote totals listed and first-place votes shown in parentheses.
2012 MIAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll |
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Rank | Institution | Total |
1 | St. Thomas (10) | 120 |
2 | Saint Benedict (2) | 103 |
3 | Concordia | 91 |
4 | Bethel | 89 |
5 | Gustavus | 80 |
6 | Augsburg | 78 |
7 | Saint Mary's | 55 |
8 | St. Olaf | 54 |
9 | St. Catherine | 53 |
10 | Carleton | 36 |
11 | Hamline | 22 |
12 | Macalester | 11 |