CLEVELAND (Aug. 18)-- Miami and Ball State have been tabbed to win their respective
divisions of the volleyball season in the Mid-American Conference, in a vote by the
league's head coaches. Since 1997, the MAC has been competing in divisional play and the
RedHawks have been selected first each year to win the East Division, while Ball State is
picked to win the West Division for the first time.
A near unanimous choice this year, Miami received 11 out of a possible 13 first-place
votes and 89 points of a possible 91 to win the East Division, while Ball State edged out
Northern Illinois for the top spot in the West, garnering eight first-place votes and 72
points, compared to the Huskies' 65. The RedHawks, who are the defending MAC Tournament
champion, were also picked to win their second consecutive postseason title, while Ball
State and Akron also received votes to win the league title.
While Miami does return only three starters from last year's 27-8 squad, one of them is
middle hitter Alissia Thompson, the 1998 MAC Player of the Year. Thompson was second on
the team in both kills (415) and total blocks (119), and will have help on the outside
from Mindy Collins (385 kills, 403 digs) and setter Kerry Hardek (1,582 assists). The
RedHawks will attempt to continue their trend over the last four years this upcoming
season: four 20-win seasons, four MAC regular season titles and four NCAA appearances.
Akron, which received the other two first-place votes in the East Division and 69 points,
will be paced by outside hitters Julie McDivitt, an honorable mention all-MAC choice last
year, and Ashlie Case, the league's Freshman of the Year. McDivitt finished last year
No. 2 in the nation in digs per game (4.9) and was also second on the team in kills
(322), while Case registered 304 kills and 300 digs.
Ohio, which registered a 20-14 record a year ago after an 8-22 mark the previous season,
is picked to finish third in the East, just behind the Zips with 65 points. The Bobcats
return 10 letterwinners, including first-team all-MAC choice Katie Mullen, who led the
league in blocks.
Bowling Green has 48 points for fourth place, and edged out Kent (40) and Marshall (39),
while second-year MAC member Buffalo (14) completes the East Division.
Ball State, which tied Miami and Northern Illinois with 15-3 conference marks last year,
recorded eight first-place votes and 72 points, while co-division champion Northern
Illinois, under the direction of first-year head coach Todd Kress, received three
first-place votes and 65 points. The Cardinals return the top setter in the league in
junior Emily Sallee, one of three first-team all-MAC players returning in 1999, while
the Huskies counter offensively with Christy Mikesell, who was sixth in the MAC in attack
percentage (.312).
Western Michigan is slated for third with 57 points and received the other two first-place
votes in the West, and are coming off a 19-13 overall record and an 11-7 mark in the
division. The 11 wins are the most league wins in the five years under the helm of coach
Cathy George.
The fourth selection in the West Division preseason poll is Eastern Michigan, which
tallied 34 points, and was closely followed by Central Michigan, which had 26. Toledo,
with 19 points rounds out the West Division poll.
1999 MAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
East Division (first place votes)
1. Miami (11) - 89 points
2. Akron (2) - 69
3. Ohio - 65
4. Bowling Green - 48
5. Kent - 40
6. Marshall - 39
7. Buffalo - 14
West Division
1. Ball State (8) - 72
2. Northern Illinois (3) - 65
3. Western Michigan (2) - 57
4. Eastern Michigan - 34
5. Central Michigan - 26
6. Toledo - 19
Tournament Winner
Miami - 7
Ball State - 3
Akron - 2
Note: One coach didn't vote for tournament winner