Oilers Tabbed as Favorites in West Division
The University of Findlay volleyball team was picked as the favorite to win the West Division of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) as the league office unveiled their preseason coaches poll on Aug. 16.
The Oilers received a league-high 150 points in the poll and accumulated seven first place votes. They were followed in the West Division by Cedarville, who scored 143 points and three first place votes. Hillsdale came in third with 133 points and three first place votes and were followed by Trevecca Nazarene (104), Ohio Dominican (88) and Kentucky Wesleyan (75).
Lake Erie was picked as the favorite to win the East Division and received 125 points and a league-best 11 first place votes. Walsh was picked to place second with 81 points and one first place vote while Davis & Elkins was picked to finish third with 77 points and one first place vote.
The Oilers finished last season with a 21-10 record. They won the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) South Division title and made their second straight appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
The team will be led by junior Hailee Olson, who has been named an all-American in each of the past two seasons. Olson, who earned first team all-region and second team all-conference for Findlay in 2016, posted 1,250 assists, 140 digs, 73 kills, 52 blocks and 37 aces for the Oilers last year.
Juniors Amanda Winner and Kara Scherger also return after garnering all-conference accolades one season ago. Winner finished second on the team with 394 kills and 237 digs. She also led the squad with 66 aces. Scherger meanwhile racked up a team-high 501 digs.
East Division
1. Lake Erie (125) – 11 first place votes
2. Walsh (81) – 1 first place vote
3. Davis & Elkins (72) – 1 first place vote
4. Ursuline (70)
5. Malone (67)
6. Alderson Broaddus (45)
7. Ohio Valley (30)
West Division
1. Findlay (150) – 7 first place votes
2. Cedarville (143) – 3 first place votes
3. Hillsdale (133) – 3 first place votes
4. Trevecca Nazarene (104)
5. Ohio Dominican (88)
6. Kentucky Wesleyan (75).