Milwaukee tabbed as Horizon League volleyball preseason favorite

INDIANAPOLIS –Milwaukee has been picked first place in the Horizon League preseason poll in a vote of the conference’s nine head coaches.

Milwaukee tallied 64 points and eight first-place votes.  The 2009 Horizon League Champions turned in a 16-5 overall record and 10-6 Horizon League mark a year ago after finishing third in the regular season.

Last year’s regular-season champion and tournament runner-up Cleveland State (53 points, one first-place vote) and regular season runner-up Valparaiso (49) rank second and third in the 2010 preseason poll; respectively.

Butler University (48) comes in fourth, followed by UIC (34), Loyola (23), Green Bay (22), Wright State (21) and Youngstown State (10).

Six All-League performers return for the upcoming campaign.  Milwaukee will be led by senior outside hitter Jena Berg who led the Panthers in kills per set (3.21) and finished second in digs per set (3.49). Junior setter Jordan Goad returns for Cleveland State after pacing the league is assists per set (10.92) last season.

Sophomore Taylor Root is back for Valparaiso, while senior Jessica Wolfe returns for Butler, senior Casie Sullivan is back for UIC and senior Shaunda Sandifer returns for Wright State.

All nine squads begin regular-season play on Friday, Aug. 27.  The 2010 Horizon League Volleyball Championship is set for Nov. 19-21 and will be hosted by the No. 1 seed.

Team                               Points            1st place votes
1. Milwaukee                       64                            8
2. Cleveland State              53                            1
3. Valparaiso                       49
4.  Butler                               48
5.  UIC                                  34
6.  Loyola                             23
7. Green Bay                       22
8. Wright State                    21
9. Youngstown State         10