Eastern Michigan Athletics
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EMU Volleyball Picked Sixth in MAC West
8/22/2017 8:57:00 AM | Volleyball
The Eagles open the season Friday, Aug. 25, at the Butler Tournament versus Oakland
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University women's volleyball team was picked to finish sixth in the Mid-American Conference West Division, the league office announced, Tuesday, Aug. 22.
Miami was picked to win the East Division with 11 first-place votes. Filling out the rest of the East Division poll was Ohio, who recieved one first-place vote, followed by Kent State, Buffalo, Bowling Green and finally, Akron.For the West Division, Ball State was pegged to finish first while Northern Illinois and Western Michigan were picked to finish second and third respectively, each with three first-place votes. In fourth, Toledo earned two first-place votes while Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan rounded out the division. The RedHawks were also selected as the MAC Regular Season and Tournament favorite.
The Green and White return five players who made at least 14 starts last season, and bring back several key pieces from a young 2016 squad.
Offensively, the Eagles have Jordan Smith (Solon, Iowa-Solon) back for her junior season. Eastern's kills leader from last year, Smith posted a career-high 326 kills in 2016, 100 more than any other Eagle. In addition to Smith, redshirt sophomore Cassie Haut (Monroe, Mich.-St. Mary Catholic Central) is healthy and ready to pick up where she left off after injury sidelined her all of last season. Haut, a 2015 MAC All-Freshmen awardwinner, ranked second on the team in kills (221) and third on the team in attacking percentage (.218) as a "true" freshman. Head Coach Kimi Olson's squad will also have a pair of familiar faces orchestrating the attack, as redshirt junior Mallory Rajewski (Midland, Mich.-Midland) and sophomore Riley Taylor (Indianapolis, Ind.-Perry Meridian) are back after splitting the setting duties last season. Rajewski, one of the top setters in program history, sits 12th in the all-time record books with 1,273 career assists. Meanwhile, Taylor recorded a team-high 622 assists in her freshman season.
Defensively, Eastern Michigan has two other impact players from 2016. At the net, senior Samantha Falco (Antioch, Ill.-Antioch Community) is coming off a breakout year in which she led the Eagles with 73.0 blocks. Junior Alyssa LaFace (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) headlines a group of returning defensive specialists. LaFace paced the Green and White with 405 digs last season while serving as the go-to libero.
In addition to the release of the coaches poll, the MAC also released the preseason All-MAC East and West divisional teams. A tie in voting for the East Division puts the roster at seven. Cassie Shado (Buffalo), Kelsey Bittinger (Kent State), Challen Geraghty (Kent State), Maeve McDonald (Miami), Katie Tomasic (Miami), Jaime Kosiorek (Ohio), and Ali Lake (Ohio) complete the Preseason East All-MAC Team. The Preseason West All-MAC Team includes Brooklyn Goodsel (Ball State, Jordan Bueter (Central Michigan), Meg Wolowicz (Northern Illinois), Maurissa Leonard (Toledo), Rachel Vidourek (Toledo), and Sydney LeMay (Western Michigan).
EMU begins the 2017 season on the road at the Butler Tournament in Indianapolis, Ind., Aug. 25-26. The Eagles open the tournament against Oakland University Friday, Aug. 25, at 11:30 a.m., before taking on Robert Morris University at 5 p.m.. The Green and White close out opening weekend with two more matches Saturday, Aug. 26. First, EMU battles Stony Brook University at 2 p.m., before wrapping up the tournament against host Butler at 7 p.m.
East Division (First-place votes)
1. Miami (11) - 71
2. Ohio (1) - 58
3. Kent State - 49
4. Buffalo - 31
5. Bowling Green - 29
6. Akron - 14
West Division(First-place votes)
1. Ball State (4) - 61
2. Northern Illinois (3) - 57
3. Western Michigan (3) - 50
4. Toledo (2) - 46
5. Central Michigan - 26
6. Eastern Michigan - 12
Regular Season Champions: Miami (10), Ball State (1), Western Michigan (1)
Tournament Champions: Miami (8), Ball State (1), Kent State (1), Ohio (1), Western Michigan (1)
Preseason East All-MAC Team
Cassie Shado, Buffalo
Kelsey Bittinger, Kent State
Challen Geraghty, Kent State
Maeve McDonald, Miami
Katie Tomasic, Miami
Jaime Kosiorek, Ohio
Ali Lake, Ohio
Preseason West All-MAC Team
Brooklyn Goodsel, Ball State
Jordan Bueter, Central Michigan
Meg Wolowicz, Northern Illinois
Maurissa Leonard, Toledo
Rachel Vidourek, Toledo
Sydney LeMay, Western Michigan
Miami was picked to win the East Division with 11 first-place votes. Filling out the rest of the East Division poll was Ohio, who recieved one first-place vote, followed by Kent State, Buffalo, Bowling Green and finally, Akron.For the West Division, Ball State was pegged to finish first while Northern Illinois and Western Michigan were picked to finish second and third respectively, each with three first-place votes. In fourth, Toledo earned two first-place votes while Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan rounded out the division. The RedHawks were also selected as the MAC Regular Season and Tournament favorite.
The Green and White return five players who made at least 14 starts last season, and bring back several key pieces from a young 2016 squad.
Offensively, the Eagles have Jordan Smith (Solon, Iowa-Solon) back for her junior season. Eastern's kills leader from last year, Smith posted a career-high 326 kills in 2016, 100 more than any other Eagle. In addition to Smith, redshirt sophomore Cassie Haut (Monroe, Mich.-St. Mary Catholic Central) is healthy and ready to pick up where she left off after injury sidelined her all of last season. Haut, a 2015 MAC All-Freshmen awardwinner, ranked second on the team in kills (221) and third on the team in attacking percentage (.218) as a "true" freshman. Head Coach Kimi Olson's squad will also have a pair of familiar faces orchestrating the attack, as redshirt junior Mallory Rajewski (Midland, Mich.-Midland) and sophomore Riley Taylor (Indianapolis, Ind.-Perry Meridian) are back after splitting the setting duties last season. Rajewski, one of the top setters in program history, sits 12th in the all-time record books with 1,273 career assists. Meanwhile, Taylor recorded a team-high 622 assists in her freshman season.
Defensively, Eastern Michigan has two other impact players from 2016. At the net, senior Samantha Falco (Antioch, Ill.-Antioch Community) is coming off a breakout year in which she led the Eagles with 73.0 blocks. Junior Alyssa LaFace (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) headlines a group of returning defensive specialists. LaFace paced the Green and White with 405 digs last season while serving as the go-to libero.
In addition to the release of the coaches poll, the MAC also released the preseason All-MAC East and West divisional teams. A tie in voting for the East Division puts the roster at seven. Cassie Shado (Buffalo), Kelsey Bittinger (Kent State), Challen Geraghty (Kent State), Maeve McDonald (Miami), Katie Tomasic (Miami), Jaime Kosiorek (Ohio), and Ali Lake (Ohio) complete the Preseason East All-MAC Team. The Preseason West All-MAC Team includes Brooklyn Goodsel (Ball State, Jordan Bueter (Central Michigan), Meg Wolowicz (Northern Illinois), Maurissa Leonard (Toledo), Rachel Vidourek (Toledo), and Sydney LeMay (Western Michigan).
EMU begins the 2017 season on the road at the Butler Tournament in Indianapolis, Ind., Aug. 25-26. The Eagles open the tournament against Oakland University Friday, Aug. 25, at 11:30 a.m., before taking on Robert Morris University at 5 p.m.. The Green and White close out opening weekend with two more matches Saturday, Aug. 26. First, EMU battles Stony Brook University at 2 p.m., before wrapping up the tournament against host Butler at 7 p.m.
East Division (First-place votes)
1. Miami (11) - 71
2. Ohio (1) - 58
3. Kent State - 49
4. Buffalo - 31
5. Bowling Green - 29
6. Akron - 14
West Division(First-place votes)
1. Ball State (4) - 61
2. Northern Illinois (3) - 57
3. Western Michigan (3) - 50
4. Toledo (2) - 46
5. Central Michigan - 26
6. Eastern Michigan - 12
Regular Season Champions: Miami (10), Ball State (1), Western Michigan (1)
Tournament Champions: Miami (8), Ball State (1), Kent State (1), Ohio (1), Western Michigan (1)
Preseason East All-MAC Team
Cassie Shado, Buffalo
Kelsey Bittinger, Kent State
Challen Geraghty, Kent State
Maeve McDonald, Miami
Katie Tomasic, Miami
Jaime Kosiorek, Ohio
Ali Lake, Ohio
Preseason West All-MAC Team
Brooklyn Goodsel, Ball State
Jordan Bueter, Central Michigan
Meg Wolowicz, Northern Illinois
Maurissa Leonard, Toledo
Rachel Vidourek, Toledo
Sydney LeMay, Western Michigan
Players Mentioned
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