Preseason NSIC Volleyball Coaches Poll Release

            The Wayne State College volleyball team was picked to finish fifth in the 2018 Preseason NSIC Volleyball Coaches' Poll released today (Tuesday) by the league office in Burnsville, Minnesota. Wildcat senior setter Megan Gebhardt was selected as the Player to Watch in the NSIC this season.
            The Wildcats received 164 points in voting conducted by league coaches. Wayne State returns five starters from last year's team that was 19-12 overall and tied for seventh in the NSIC with a 12-8 league mark.
            Defending NCAA Division II national champion Concordia-St. Paul was selected the unanimous favorite to win the NSIC this season.  The Golden Bears received 15 first-place votes and 225 points followed by Southwest Minnesota State in second at 210 points and the remaining first-place vote. (Coaches can not vote for their own team)
            Minnesota Duluth came in third at 194 points followed by Northern State (176 pts) and Wayne State fifth with 164 points.  Augustana was sixth (145) followed by Winona State (138), Upper Iowa (130), Sioux Falls (123) and Minnesota State (102) closing out the top 10.
            Rounding out the coaches poll were St. Cloud State, MSU Moorhead, Minnesota Crookston, University of Mary, Bemidji State and Minot State.
            Wayne State's Player to Watch in the NSIC this season is senior setter Megan Gebhardt.  The Lutheran High Northeast graduate is a two-year starter for the Wildcats and averaged 9.60 assists per set last season to rank seventh in the NSIC with six double-doubles.  Gebhardt also excels in the classroom, earning CoSIDA Academic All-American Second Team honors with a 4.00 grade point average majoring in finance.
Wayne State College, who has been ranked in every regular season AVCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll since September 28, 2009, is scheduled to open the 2018 season on Friday, August 24^th at the Embry-Riddle Tournament in Daytona Beach, Florida vs. Westminster (Utah) at 11 a.m.
 
2018 Preseason NSIC Volleyball Coaches' Poll

1. Concordia-St. Paul (15)              225 pts.
2. Southwest Minnesota State (1)   210 pts.
3. Minnesota Duluth                      194 pts.
4. Northern State                          176 pts.
5. Wayne State                           164 pts.
6. Augustana                                145 pts.
7. Winona State                            138 pts.
8. Upper Iowa                               130 pts.
9. Sioux Falls                                123 pts.
10. Minnesota State                        102 pts.
11. St. Cloud State                            89 pts.
12. MSU Moorhead                           75 pts.
13. Minnesota Crookston                  50 pts.
14. University of Mary                       40 pts.
15. Bemidji State                               31 pts.
16. Minot State                                 28 pts.