Cougars, Eagles tie for top spot in 2019 UMAC Preseason Volleyball Coaches' Poll
ST. PAUL, Minn.---The 2018 season saw a shake up in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) volleyball as the University of Minnesota Morris ended the University of Northwestern's streak of NCAA appearances at eight. The Cougars knocked off the regular-season champion Eagles in the conference tournament championship before going on to win an opening round match in dramatic fashion over nationally-ranked No. 8 Gustavus Adolphus College.
Now the two conference powers will go toe-to-toe in the regular season in hopes of capturing a conference title, and the UMAC coaches expect it to be a competitive race as both Minnesota Morris and Northwestern tied for the top spot in the 2019 Preseason Coaches’ Poll announced Wednesday.
The Cougars and Eagles each collected 59 points and four first-place votes, while the University of Wisconsin-Superior tallied 51 points with a first-place nod as well to come in third.
|
Poll |
Team Previews |
2019 UMAC Schedule |
In a season that included 16 conference matches a year ago, both the Cougars and Eagles stumbled during the regular season. Northwestern's 65-match regular season winning streak came to an end at the hands of Wisconsin-Superior. A split with the Yellowjackets and two regular-season losses to Northwestern put the Cougars in third heading into the postseason.
The tides changed heading into the UMAC tournament, though, as the Cougars knocked off the Yellowjackets 3-2 in a thrilling semifinal match before taking down the Eagles 3-1 to advance to the postseason. This season, though, the regular season will have even more weight as the conference slate moves to a single round of matches meaning there are only eight opportunities for conference wins that impact tournament seeding and matches among the top teams will have greater significance.
The Cougars reload with a ton of talent this season with UMAC Tournament MVP Layne Herrmann ready to set up her team for success. The senior setter has been a three-time All-UMAC First Team selection and among conference and national leaders in assists in each of the last three years. Additionally, Morgan Miller returns as the Cougars' presence at the net after averaging 1.20 blocks per set to earn Second Team All-UMAC accolades.
The Eagles lost a strong senior class from last season, but several key returners will set the pace for another successful season for a Northwestern squad that received votes in the Division III Top 25 Preseason Poll released by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) last week. The 2018 national leader and AVCA Regional Freshman of the Year Sydney Schwitters will fuel the offense after posting 11.59 assists per set as a rookie. First Team All-UMAC middle blocker Jenay Fuglestad also returns after ranking third in UMAC hitting (3.35 kills per set) last year.
The Yellowjackets posted 20 wins last year which was the second-most in UMAC Coach of the Year Lynne Deadrick's 16-year tenure. Wisconsin-Superior should be in contention for a title with the return of three contributing hitters in seniors Brylee Colligan and A.J. Runck as well as Hannah Goggleye who was the team's top blocker as a rookie last fall.
Following the top three spots, the College of St. Scholastica snuck into fourth with 42 points and was just three points ahead of Bethany Lutheran College in fifth with 39 points. The Saints will look for continued improvement and opportunity to move up the standings with the return of All-UMAC First Team outside hitter Brooke Schermann who was the team's leading hitter a year ago. The Vikings bring back Megan Rutt for her senior season after the First Team selection led the team with 4.06 k/s to lead the Vikings back to the postseason in 2018.
Martin Luther College missed out on the postseason for the first time in nine years but could challenge for a spot. The Knights were slated sixth with 27 points, while North Central University and Northland College tied for seventh with 17 points. Crown College rounded out the standings with 13 points. Martin Luther will rely on sophomore libero and Honorable Mention Katelyn Aswege to anchor the defense in the team's efforts to get back to the UMAC playoffs. The remaining three squads all return key starters as they look to improve with both Northland and Crown under new head coaches this fall.
UMAC volleyball teams open up non-conference competition beginning Friday, Aug. 30 before regularly-scheduled conference play officially kicks off Saturday, Sept. 28. The final date of UMAC regular season contests is Wednesday, Oct. 30. The postseason tournament starts Monday, Nov. 4 with the No. 4 vs. No. 5 quarterfinal game. Semifinals will be held Wednesday, Nov. 6 at the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds and the championship is set for Saturday, Nov. 9 at the highest remaining seed. The winner of the UMAC postseason tournament will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA championship.
2019 UMAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
T1. Minnesota Morris – 59 points (4 First Place Votes)
T1. Northwestern – 59 points (4 First Place Votes)
3. Wisconsin-Superior – 51 points (1 First Place Vote)
4. St. Scholastica – 42 points
5. Bethany Lutheran – 39 points
6. Martin Luther – 27 points
T7. North Central – 17 points
T7. Northland – 17 points
9. Crown – 13 points
Team Previews
|
BLC |
CC |
CSS |
MLC |
NC |
NCU |
UMM |
UNW |
UWS |
Bethany Lutheran College
Bethany Lutheran College
John Olmanson | 7th season|
2018 Season
8-8 UMAC, 11-18 | 5th |
2018 Postseason: UMAC Tournament First-round, lost 3-0 to St. Scholastica
Top Returners
- Megan Rutt, Sr., OH | UMAC First-team | Team’s leading hitter: 418 kills, 4.06 kills/set, fourth on team in service aces, surpassed the 1,000 career kill mark last season and ranks 3rd on the career leader list
- Mindy Poehler, Sr., MB| Team’s second-leading hitter (220 kills), 2.14 kills/set, led team in service aces |
- Kallie Mathiasen, Sr., S | Led team with 729 assists, third on team in digs (219), in one season, ranks 7th on the career leader list in assists|
Need to Know
- Rutt was one kill shy of the single match school record (31) on two occasions last season.
- Coach Olmanson is Bethany’s winningest volleyball coach (in DIII era).
The College of St. Scholastica
Dana Moore | 23rd Season |
2018 Season
9-7 UMAC, 12-18 | 4th |
Postseason: L 3-1 to Northwestern in UMAC Tournament semifinals
Top Returners
- Brooke Schermann, Sr., OH | 2018 First Team All-UMAC | 331 kills, 3.74 points per set, 302 digs
- Madissen Burns, Jr., MB | 47 blocks, 124 kills, .216 hitting pct.
- Espi Austvold, Sr., S | 535 assists, 31 service aces, 229 digs
Need to Know
Coach Moore enters the 2019 season three wins shy of 400.
Crown College
Brittany Strange | 1st Season |
2018 Season
2-14 UMAC, 4-25 | 8th |
Top Returners
- Madeline Svoboda, Sr., DS | 371 digs, 3.82 digs/set, 61.5 points |
- Elizabeth Clark, So., S | 457 assists, 4.86 assists/set, 53 points |
- Gracie Zieroth, So., OH | 115 kills, 1.26 kills/set, 140 points |
Need to Know
Former assistant Brittany Strange moves down the bench to assume head coaching duties.
Martin Luther College
Rebecca Cox | 11th season |
2018 Season
7-9 UMAC, 7-24 | 6th |
Top Returners
- Katelyn Aswege, So., L | 2018 Honorable Mention All-UMAC | 4.07 Digs per set, 0.20 SA per set |
- Kati Aguilar, Jr., OH | 2.24 Kills per set, 2.14 Digs per set, .072 attack efficiency |
- Kelsey Birschbach, So., OH | 1.67 Kills per set, 2.0 Digs per set, 0.23 Blocks per set |
Need to Know
With one only junior or senior on the roster last season, the Knights’ streak of eight consecutive appearances in the UMAC Postseason Tournament was snapped. With key players returning across the line-up, the Knights will look to start a new streak in 2019.
North Central University
Faith Ooms | 3rd season |
2018 Season
1-15 UMAC, 6-24 | 9th |
Top Returners
- Rachel Beckman, Sr., S | Top of the UMAC in Aces per Set | 272 assists, 0.56 SA/s, 2.83 A/S |
- Emily DiGiorgio, Jr., MB | Top 11 in Blocks per Set | .53 B/S, 174 kills, .105% |
- Hannah Fischer, So., OH/RS | Top 3 in Aces per Set | 143 kills, .49 SA/S, 2.38 D/S |
Need to Know
The Rams will have eight incoming players this seaosn.
Northland College
Chelsea Meierotto | 1st season |
2018 Season
3-13 UMAC, 4-24 | 7th |
Top Returners
- Vivienne Kallio, Sr., OH | 125 kills|
- Justine Litherland, Jr., MB | 114 kills |
University of Minnesota Morris
Joe Sussenguth | 2nd Season |
2018 Season
13-3 UMAC, 23-12 | 3rd |
Postseason: UMAC Tournament Champions (First time in program history), 1-1 at NCAA Division III National Tournament.
Top Returners
- Layne Herrmann, Sr., S | First Team All-Conference | 1149 set assists, 9.58 assists per set, 59 ace serves |
- Morgan Miller, Sr., MB| Second Team All-Conference | All-Academic All-Conference |129 Blocks, 1.20 blocks per set, 320 kills |
- Tori Everson, Jr., OH | 275 kills, 54 ace serves, 268 digs |
Need to Know
Layne Herrmann became the career leader in set assists at UMM during the 2018 season, she has 3453 entering 2019.
University of Northwestern
Beth Wilmeth | 16th Season |
2018 Season
15-1 UMAC, 23-9 | 1st |
Postseason: 2018 UMAC Postseason Runner-up (Win vs. St. Scholastica, 3-1; Loss vs. Minnesota Morris, 3-1).
Top Returners
- Sydney Schwitters, So., S| 2018 UMAC Rookie of the Year, 2018 UMAC All-Conference First Team, Five times UMAC Setter of the Week | AVCA Central Region First-Team; AVCA All-American Honorable Mention | Led the nation in assists/set (11.59) |
- Jenay Fuglestad, Jr., MB | 2018 UMAC All-Conference First Team | Finished 2018 season ranked 3rd in the UMAC in kills (3.35/set) and hitting percentage (.341) |
Need to Know
The UNW volleyball team is returning from a 10-day foreign tour to Barcelona, Spain. The Eagles partnered with two sports ministry organizations (Upgrade Sports and Sports Ambassadors) who use the game of volleyball as a vehicle to build relationships and share about Jesus Christ. The team participated in four beach volleyball tournaments and one indoor tournament during their trip.
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Lynne Deadrick | 17th Season |
2018 Season
14-2 UMAC, 20-12 | 2nd |
Postseason: As No. 2 seed, lost, 3-2, to third-seeded Minnesota Morris in the UMAC semifinals at home
Top Returners
- Brylee Colligan, Sr., OH | 2018 UMAC Sportsmanship Team, UMAC Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 8) | Tied for second on team with 22 service aces, Third on team in digs with 305 (3.08 per set) in 2018, Six double-doubles in 2018 |
- Hannah Goggleye, So., MH/OH | 168 kills (1.77 per set) in 2018 | Top returning blocker from 2018 with 60 (0.63 per set), Four matches with double-digit kills in 2018 |
- A.J. Runck, Sr., MH | 1.25 kills per set in 2018, 12 digs in 2018, 10 total blocks in 2018 |
Need to Know
- Head coach Lynne Deadrick earned her first UMAC Coach of the Year honor in 2018, helping the Yellowjackets to 20 wins – the second most in 16-year tenure.
- UWS topped Northwestern in straight sets at home Oct. 16, snapping the Eagles’ 65-match UMAC regular-season winning streak.