Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Volleyball Picked Fourth in MAC West
8/22/2018 9:55:00 AM | Volleyball
Senior Jordan Smith named to Preseason West All-MAC team
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team was picked to finish fourth in the Mid-American Conference West Division, the league office announced, Wednesday, Aug. 22. Additionally, senior outside hitter Jordan Smith (Solon, Iowa-Solon) was named Preseason West All-MAC Team.
Ball State was pegged to win in the MAC West, while Western Michigan and Central Michigan were picked to finish second and third respectively. Eastern's fourth-place preseason pick is the highest in the Kimi Olson era. Finishing out the division was Northern Illinois and Toledo at fifth and sixth, respectively. In the East Division, Ohio was picked to win with nine first-place votes and a total of 68 points. Filling out the rest of the division poll was Bowling Green, who recieved three first-place votes, followed by Buffalo, Miami, Kent State, and finally, Akron. Ohio was also selected as the MAC Regular Season and Tournament favorite.
The Green and White return five starters as well as four key reserves from the 2017 team that won its first round game at the MAC Tournament, setting expectations for a return high.
Smith, one of three seniors for the Eagles, was one of seven players named to the All-MAC West Preseason Team. A season ago, the Solon, Iowa native posted a career-high 373 kills, marking the second straight season she led the team in kills. In addition to Smith, redshirt junior Cassie Haut (Monroe, Mich.-St. Mary Catholic Central) looks to build off of a strong second season on the court. Haut, a 2015 MAC All-Freshmen awardwinner, returned from injury to finish 2017 second on the team in total kills (318) while adding 98 blocks.
Eastern will once again rely on the tandom of redshirt senior Mallory Rajewski (Midland, Mich.-Midland) and junior Riley Taylor (Indianapolis, Ind.-Perry Meridian) to orchestrate the attack as the team's setters, after the two combined to average 10.75 assists per set last season. Rajewski, one of the top setters in program history, sits seventh in the all-time record books with 2,164 career assists. Meanwhile, Taylor has amassed 1,103 assists in her first two seasons. The Eagles also welcome back sophomore Franki Strefling (Niles, Mich.-Niles), who had 225 kills and the team's second-best kills-per-set average at 2.65 before an injury cut her 2017 season short.
The defense will be anchored by senior libero Alyssa LaFace (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park), who solidified herself as EMU's top defensive player by averaging 5.12 digs per set a season ago, and finished with 486 total digs. Joining LaFace as key members of the defensive unit will be junior Camille Schomer (Rochester, Mich.-Oakland Christian) and sophomore April Houston (Minneapolis, Minn.-Southwest). Schomer spent time at libero last season, finishing with 278 digs and the team's second-best digs-per-set mark at 2.96. Houston came on strong as a net presence, playing both middle blocker and right side at various times, and finished the year with 46 total blocks. As a team in 2017, Eastern set records for total blocks (320) and blocks per set (2.46), leading the Mid-American Conference in both categories.
In addition to the release of the coaches poll, the MAC also released the Preseason All-MAC East and West divisional teams. Joining Smith for the West Division is Meg Wolowicz (Northern Illinois), Rachel Bontorager (Western Michigan), Ellie Dunn (Ball State), Kalina Smith (Central Michigan), Amber Seaman (Ball State), and Maurissa Leonard (Toledo). Representing the Preseason East Division is Kallie Seimet (Bowling Green), Tia Jimerson (Ohio), Andrea Mitrovic (Buffalo), Vera Giacomazzi (Ohio), Lizzie Stephens (Ohio), Katie Kidwell (Bowling Green), and Margaret Payne (Miami).
EMU begins the 2018 season on the road at the St. John's Kaiser Classic in Queens, N.Y., Aug. 24-25. The Eagles open the tournament against Fordgam University Friday, Aug. 24, at 11 a.m., before taking on Central Connecticut State at 3 p.m. The Green and White close out opening weekend with two more matches Saturday, Aug. 25. First, EMU battles Manhattan College at 2 p.m., before wrapping up the tournament against host St. John's at 4 p.m.
East Division
1. Ohio (9) - 68
2. Bowling Green (3) - 60
3. Buffalo - 45
4. Miami - 42
5. Kent State - 22
6. Akron - 12
West Division
1. Ball State (10) - 70
2. Western Michigan (2) - 59
3. Central Michigan - 43
4. Eastern Michigan - 30
5. Northern Illinois - 29
6. Toledo - 21
Regular Season Champions: Ohio (8), Bowling Green (3)
Tournament Champions: Ohio (5), Miami (2), Western Michigan (2), Bowling Green (1), Ball State (1)
Preseason East All-MAC Team
Kallie Seimet, Bowling Green
Tia Jimerson, Ohio
Andrea Mitrovic, Buffalo
Vera Giacomazzi, Ohio
Lizzie Stephens, Ohio
Katie Kidwell, Bowling Green
Margaret Payne, Miami
Preseason West All-MAC Team
Meg Wolowicz, Northern Illinois
Rachel Bontorager, Western Michigan
Ellie Dunn, Ball State
Jordan Smith, Eastern Michigan
Kalina Smith, Central Michigan
Amber Seaman, Ball State
Maurissa Leonard, Toledo
Ball State was pegged to win in the MAC West, while Western Michigan and Central Michigan were picked to finish second and third respectively. Eastern's fourth-place preseason pick is the highest in the Kimi Olson era. Finishing out the division was Northern Illinois and Toledo at fifth and sixth, respectively. In the East Division, Ohio was picked to win with nine first-place votes and a total of 68 points. Filling out the rest of the division poll was Bowling Green, who recieved three first-place votes, followed by Buffalo, Miami, Kent State, and finally, Akron. Ohio was also selected as the MAC Regular Season and Tournament favorite.
The Green and White return five starters as well as four key reserves from the 2017 team that won its first round game at the MAC Tournament, setting expectations for a return high.
Smith, one of three seniors for the Eagles, was one of seven players named to the All-MAC West Preseason Team. A season ago, the Solon, Iowa native posted a career-high 373 kills, marking the second straight season she led the team in kills. In addition to Smith, redshirt junior Cassie Haut (Monroe, Mich.-St. Mary Catholic Central) looks to build off of a strong second season on the court. Haut, a 2015 MAC All-Freshmen awardwinner, returned from injury to finish 2017 second on the team in total kills (318) while adding 98 blocks.
Eastern will once again rely on the tandom of redshirt senior Mallory Rajewski (Midland, Mich.-Midland) and junior Riley Taylor (Indianapolis, Ind.-Perry Meridian) to orchestrate the attack as the team's setters, after the two combined to average 10.75 assists per set last season. Rajewski, one of the top setters in program history, sits seventh in the all-time record books with 2,164 career assists. Meanwhile, Taylor has amassed 1,103 assists in her first two seasons. The Eagles also welcome back sophomore Franki Strefling (Niles, Mich.-Niles), who had 225 kills and the team's second-best kills-per-set average at 2.65 before an injury cut her 2017 season short.
The defense will be anchored by senior libero Alyssa LaFace (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park), who solidified herself as EMU's top defensive player by averaging 5.12 digs per set a season ago, and finished with 486 total digs. Joining LaFace as key members of the defensive unit will be junior Camille Schomer (Rochester, Mich.-Oakland Christian) and sophomore April Houston (Minneapolis, Minn.-Southwest). Schomer spent time at libero last season, finishing with 278 digs and the team's second-best digs-per-set mark at 2.96. Houston came on strong as a net presence, playing both middle blocker and right side at various times, and finished the year with 46 total blocks. As a team in 2017, Eastern set records for total blocks (320) and blocks per set (2.46), leading the Mid-American Conference in both categories.
In addition to the release of the coaches poll, the MAC also released the Preseason All-MAC East and West divisional teams. Joining Smith for the West Division is Meg Wolowicz (Northern Illinois), Rachel Bontorager (Western Michigan), Ellie Dunn (Ball State), Kalina Smith (Central Michigan), Amber Seaman (Ball State), and Maurissa Leonard (Toledo). Representing the Preseason East Division is Kallie Seimet (Bowling Green), Tia Jimerson (Ohio), Andrea Mitrovic (Buffalo), Vera Giacomazzi (Ohio), Lizzie Stephens (Ohio), Katie Kidwell (Bowling Green), and Margaret Payne (Miami).
EMU begins the 2018 season on the road at the St. John's Kaiser Classic in Queens, N.Y., Aug. 24-25. The Eagles open the tournament against Fordgam University Friday, Aug. 24, at 11 a.m., before taking on Central Connecticut State at 3 p.m. The Green and White close out opening weekend with two more matches Saturday, Aug. 25. First, EMU battles Manhattan College at 2 p.m., before wrapping up the tournament against host St. John's at 4 p.m.
East Division
1. Ohio (9) - 68
2. Bowling Green (3) - 60
3. Buffalo - 45
4. Miami - 42
5. Kent State - 22
6. Akron - 12
West Division
1. Ball State (10) - 70
2. Western Michigan (2) - 59
3. Central Michigan - 43
4. Eastern Michigan - 30
5. Northern Illinois - 29
6. Toledo - 21
Regular Season Champions: Ohio (8), Bowling Green (3)
Tournament Champions: Ohio (5), Miami (2), Western Michigan (2), Bowling Green (1), Ball State (1)
Preseason East All-MAC Team
Kallie Seimet, Bowling Green
Tia Jimerson, Ohio
Andrea Mitrovic, Buffalo
Vera Giacomazzi, Ohio
Lizzie Stephens, Ohio
Katie Kidwell, Bowling Green
Margaret Payne, Miami
Preseason West All-MAC Team
Meg Wolowicz, Northern Illinois
Rachel Bontorager, Western Michigan
Ellie Dunn, Ball State
Jordan Smith, Eastern Michigan
Kalina Smith, Central Michigan
Amber Seaman, Ball State
Maurissa Leonard, Toledo
Players Mentioned
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