Contact: Chassidy Holloway, Assistant Executive Director, holloway@midwestconference.org
 
GRINNELL, Iowa – Following a vote of the league’s head coaches, Cornell College has been selected to win the 2021 Midwest Conference (MWC) volleyball regular season title. The Rams received five first-place votes and 40 points to top the field.
 
Cornell, the reigning league champion, has won every regular season championship since the institution rejoined the league in 2012.
 
Grinnell College finished second in voting with one first-place vote and 34 points. The Pioneers won their first MWC Volleyball Tournament title in 2019 resulting in their first NCAA tournament appearance.
 
Illinois College was third with 30 points, followed closely by Lake Forest College (28) and Monmouth College (27) to round out the top five.
 
Ripon College placed sixth with 21 points, Knox College seventh (19), Lawrence University eighth (11), and Beloit College ninth (6).
 
The regular season begins on Wednesday, September 1 with eight league teams in action. Conference action starts Friday, September 24.
 
The 2021 MWC Volleyball Tournament will be held the weekend of November 5-6. The four-team tournament will be hosted by the league’s number one seed at the conclusion of the season. The winner will receive the league’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Full preseason poll results and quick facts for all nine teams can be found below:
 
2021 MWC Volleyball Preseason Poll Results - Team (first-place votes), points
1. Cornell College (5) – 40 points
2. Grinnell College (1) – 34 points
3. Illinois College – 30 points
4. Lake Forest College – 28 points
5. Monmouth College – 27 points
6. Ripon College – 21 points
7. Knox College – 19 points
8. Lawrence University – 11 points
9. Beloit College – 6 points
 
Beloit College Buccaneers
Head Coach: Lehua Kadooka (3^rd Season)
2019: 7-15 (overall); 0-9 MWC
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Cornell College Rams
Head Coach: Jeff Meeker (21^st Season)
2019: 17-11 (overall); 8-1 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: Rory Light (Jr), Alyssa McEndaffer (Sr), Sydney Meeker (Sr - 2019 Player of the Year)
 
Grinnell College Pioneers
Head Coach: Eric Ragan (5^th Season)
2019: 26-4 (overall); 7-2 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: Kaylin Kuhn (Sr), Julianna Roth (Jr)
 
Illinois College Lady Blues
Head Coach: Alicia Wood (2^nd Season)
2019: 21-8 (overall); 7-2 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Knox College Prairie Fire
Head Coach: Pat Barry (3^rd Season)
2019: 11-18 (overall); 2-7 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Lake Forest College Foresters
Head Coach: Katie Rueffer (3^rd Season)
2019: 11-14 (overall); 4-5 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Lawrence University Vikings
Head Coach: Kim Falkenhagen (3^rd Season)
2019: 6-20 (overall); 2-7 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Monmouth College Scots
Head Coach: Emily Thebeau (3^rd Season)
2019: 12-16 (overall); 4-5 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Ripon College Red Hawks
Head Coach: Katie Astrauskas (12^th Season)
2019: 6-19 (overall); 3-6 (MWC)
All-Conference Returnees: N/A