Contact: Jenna McElroy, Sports Info & Social Media Intern, mcelroy@midwestconference.org
GRINNELL, Iowa – The Cornell College volleyball team looks to continue its dominance at the top of the Midwest Conference (MWC) as the Rams were selected to finish first in the annual preseason coaches’ poll. Cornell is expected to earn its seventh crown since rejoining the conference in 2012 after receiving eight first-place votes for a total of 80 points.
St. Norbert College looks to end Cornell’s reign as the Green Knights were one of just two Conference teams to take a set against the Rams last season and finished second with an 8-1 record. Picking up the remaining two first-place votes, St. Norbert garnered 73 total points. Grinnell College’s 5-4 record put it in a three-way tie for third in 2017. The Pioneers hope to grab the spot for themselves or sneak into the top-two in 2018 after receiving 59 points.
Last season’s battle for the third and fourth seeds in the MWC Tournament was a tight one as Ripon College, Lawrence University and Grinnell all finished with 5-4 conference records. Lake Forest College and Illinois College weren’t far behind with matching 4-5 records. The fight for the last two tournament berths should be close again in 2018 as Lawrence (51), Illinois College (50) and Ripon (49) are separated by only two points for fourth through sixth in the preseason poll.
Lake Forest College received 37 points for seventh place, while Beloit College and Knox College tied for eighth with 19 points. Monmouth College rounds out the 2018 preseason poll with 13 points.
The schedule starts on Friday, August 31 with St. Norbert taking on Wartburg College at 3:00 pm, while conference play begins Tuesday, September 25 with Lawrence at St. Norbert at 7:00 pm. The top four teams during the MWC regular season will qualify for the MWC Tournament hosted by the regular season champion on November 2-3.
Full Preseason Results:
| 1. Cornell |
80 (8) |
| 2. St. Norbert |
73 (2) |
| 3. Grinnell |
59 |
| 4. Lawrence |
51 |
| 5. Illinois College |
50 |
| 6. Ripon |
49 |
| 7. Lake Forest |
37 |
| T8. Beloit |
19 |
| T8. Knox |
19 |
| 10. Monmouth |
13 |
Below is a team-by-team preview of all MWC volleyball programs:
Beloit College Buccaneers
Head Coach: Dawn Redd (12th season) 115-179, 36-67 MWC
2017: 9-16, 3-6 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: T-8th
Returning Starters: 5
The Bucs will be led by senior libero Abby Gessell and team captain Shelby Strehlow. Gessell led the team with 540 digs, averaged 5.81 per set and recorded 31 service aces. Her 459 digs in conference play ranked fourth best in the MWC. Strehlow added 255 digs and 27 services aces. Beloit led the conference in blocks averaging 2.09 per set and return OH Eva Laun-Smith and RS Molly Muller who were second and third on the team with 55 and 48 blocks respectively. Top setter Paige Wimbrow also returns after racking up 646 set assists for sixth best in the conference last fall.
Cornell College Rams
Head Coach: Jeff Meeker (17th season) 314-205, 57-1 MWC
2017: 25-8, 9-0 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 1st
Returning Starters: 5
Returning All-MWC Peformers: First Team - Jillian Schulte Sr. S, Nicole Ciari Sr. MB; Second Team – Sydney Meeker So. DS
Cornell extended its Midwest Conference Record with a sixth consecutive MWC regular season championship last year and seek lucky number seven in 2018. Since rejoining the conference in 2012, the Rams have compiled a 68-2 record in MWC competition. This year’s team is highlighted by Reigning MWC Player-of-the-Year Jillian Schulte and fellow All-MWC performer Nicole Ciari. Schulte set single-season school records for assists (1,253) and assists per set (10.62) and ranked in the top-10 nationally in both categories, while Ciari is the school leader in for attack percentage (.307). The Rams ranked 14th nationally in hitting percentage and 16th in kills per set (13.36).
Grinnell College Pioneers
Head Coach: Eric Ragan (2nd season) 16-9, 5-4 MWC
2017: 16-9, 5-4 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 3rd
Returning Starters: 4
Returning All-MWC Performers: Second Team – Kaylin Kuhn So. OH
In 2017, Grinnell qualified for the MWC Tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time and look to make it three straight appearances in 2018. The Pioneers will be led by MWC Newcomer-of-the-Year Kaylin Kuhn who finished sixth in the conference in kills per set (3.27) and third in services aces (.42). Kuhn was also second on the team with 284 digs. Middle blocker Emma Willhardt also returns after leading the team in blocks per set (.59) and finishing third in kills per set (2.52).
Illinois College Lady Blues
Head Coach: Kristy Duncan (5th season) 49-62, 15-23 MWC
2017: 13-16, 4-5 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 5th
Returning Starters: 6
Returning All-MWC Performers: First Team – Ali Pankey Jr. OH; Second Team – Liz Ganley Jr. S
After finishing with a conference record of 4-5 the last two seasons, the Lady Blues hope returning All-MWC duo, Ali Pankey and Liz Ganley, can lead the team to a winning season. Pankey led the league with 3.62 kills per set and was second on the team with 26 service aces and 398 digs. Ganley, a setter, led the team with 952 assists, ranking second in the conference. Defensive specialist Madie Budd returns after ranking fourth in the league with 468 digs, while middle blocker Maddie Ramsey led the team with 49 blocks and finished with the fifth-best hitting percentage (.271) in the conference.
Knox College Prairie Fire
Head Coach: Ashley McDonough (4th season) 28-56, 8-20 MWC
2017: 11-19, 1-8 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: T-8th
Returning Starters: 7
The Prairie Fire look to move up the standings led by top players Kaitlyn Haase, Mady Ferris and Emily Mosher. Haase is the team’s top returner in kills after notching 125 in her first season, while fellow first-year Ferris was leading the nation in digs before an injury. The libero still managed to lead the conference in digs (582) and digs per set (5.49). Mosher’s 770 assists led the team and ranked fourth best in the conference.
Lake Forest College Foresters
Head Coach: Heather Noll (7th season) 70-87, 32-36 MWC
2017: 12-14, 4-5 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 7th
Returning Starters: 4
Returning All-MWC Performers: Second Team - Grace Larson Sr. OH
Lake Forest is headlined by three-time All-MWC second team performer Grace Larson. The outside hitter racked up 152 kills and had 313 digs, while first-year setter Hannah Nauert had 654 assists and 6.81 per set, ranking fifth in the conference. Nauert also contributed 26 services aces and 242 digs. Middle blocker Isabel Donnelly also returns after managing 160 kills and 59 blocks in 2017.
Lawrence University Vikings
Head Coach: Matt Schoultz (13th season) 115-229, 46-66 MWC
2017: 10-17, 5-4 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 4th
Returning Starters: 2
Returning All-MWC Performers: First Team - Arianna Neumeyer Sr. OH/DS/S
The Vikings just missed out on an MWC Tournament berth in 2017 and will look to three-time All-MWC performer Arianna Neumeyer to lead them in 2018. Neumeyer ranked seventh in the league with 319 kills and 2.95 per set while also notching 427 digs, 54 blocks and 34 service aces. Lawrence lost setters Sydney Nelson and Lauren Ray to graduation but return Ashley Camling who had 97 assists as a first-year. Experience defensive specialist Katie Kumbalek is back after contributing 273 digs last season.
Monmouth College Fighting Scots
Head Coach: Kari Shimmin (21st season) 324-305, 83-80 MWC
2017: 8-20, 1-8 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 10th
Returning Starters: 10
Last season, the Fighting Scots were a young team but are hoping the experience they gained will help them climb up the standings in 2018. Setter Laura Dulee returns after ranking seventh in the conference with 649 assists and 5.95 assists per set and contributed 291 digs and 31 services aces. Outside hitter Lauren Sperry and middle hitter Brooke Decker are back after notching 174 and 118 kills respectively and the two combined for 77 blocks in 2017.
Ripon College Red Hawks
Head Coach: Katie Astrauskas (9th season) 99-125, 41-35 MWC
2017: 10-17, 5-4 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 6th
Returning Starters: 5
The Red Hawks will be led by senior duo Olivia Heck and Stacie Klika. Heck led the team with 427 assists and 4.97 assists per set, while Klika led the team with 413 digs and 4.26 digs per set. The two will be supported by the sophomore trio of Emily Allard, Brooke Bauer and Micaela Encarnacion. Allard’s named could be found all over the box score after she racked up 200 kills, 414 assists, 287 digs, 38 blocks and 32 services aces. Bauer notched 167 kills and 35 blocks in her first season, while Encarnacion contributed 183 digs and 27 services aces.
St. Norbert College Green Knights
Head Coach: B.J. Bryant (4th season) 43-49, 24-4 MWC
2017: 13-16, 8-1 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 2nd
Returning Starters: 6
Returning All-MWC Performers: First Team – Halie Ferry Sr. OH/RS, Lexie Van Hiel Sr. MB;
Second Team – Emily Rohloff Jr. S
The Green Knights are the one team that was able to beat Cornell since 2012 as they defeated the Rams for the 2016 MWC Tournament title. St. Norbert hopes All-MWC performers Halie Ferry, Lexie Van Hiel and Emily Rohloff can lead the Green Knights over the Rams once again. Ferry and Van Hiel were two of the top hitters in the conference as they ranked second in kills per set (3.50) and hitting percentage (.308) respectively. Van Hiel also ranked second in blocks (68), while Rohloff ranked fifth with 40 service aces and led the team with 542 assists and 4.97 assists per set.