Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Volleyball Picked Third in MAC West
8/27/2019 10:12:00 AM | Volleyball
Redshirt senior Cassie Haut named to Preseason West All-MAC team
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team was picked to finish third in the Mid-American Conference West Division, the league office announced, Tuesday, Aug. 27. Additionally, redshirt senior Cassie Haut (Monroe, Mich.-St. Mary Catholic Central) was named a Preseason All-MAC selection in the west division.
Ball State was pegged to win in the MAC West, while Western Michigan was also picked ahead of Eastern. Both WMU and EMU received one vote to win the regular season, while the Eagles' third-place preseason pick is the highest in the last five seasons. Finishing out the division was Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, and Toledo at fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively. In the East Division, Miami 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 received two first-place votes, followed by Ohio, Buffalo, Kent State, and finally, Akron. Miami was also selected as the MAC Regular Season and Tournament favorite.
The Green and White return four starters and have 11 total returners from the 2018 team that won its first MAC Tournament Championship, setting expectations high.
Haut, one of four seniors for the Eagles, was one of six players named to the All-MAC West Preseason Team. A season ago, the Monroe, Mich. native posted a career-high 392 kills while leading the conference with a .376 attack percentage.
Junior Riley Taylor (Indianapolis, Ind.-Perry Meridian) will be counted on to orchestrate the attack as the team's top setter, after the combining with Mallory Rajewski to average 11.84 assists per set last season. The Eagles also welcome back junior Franki Strefling (Niles, Mich.-Niles), who had 232 kills and the team's third-best kills-per-set average at 1.95, while also averaging the team's second-best digs-per-set mark with a 2.92 average.
The defense will be anchored by senior libero Camille Schomer (Rochester, Mich.-Oakland Christian) and junior April Houston (Minneapolis, Minn.-Southwest). Schomer finished with 95 digs a season ago, and has averaged 2.35 digs-per-set in her career. Houston came on strong as a net presence, playing as a middle blocker and finishing 2018 with 220 kills and 105 total blocks.
In addition to the release of the coaches poll, the MAC also released the Preseason All-MAC East and West divisional teams. Joining Haut for the West Division is Amber Seaman (Ball State), Sydney VanBeek (Ball State), Kalina Smith (Central Michigan), Zoe Birnbrich (Toledo), and Rachel Bontrager (Western Michigan). Representing the Preseason East Division is Plina Projudina (Buffalo), Tia Jimerson (Ohio), Gaby Harper (Miami), Margaret Payne (Miami), Lizzie Stephens (Ohio), and Vera Giacomazzi (Ohio).
EMU begins the 2019 season on the road at the Utah State Tournament, Aug. 30-31. The Eagles open the tournament against host Utah State University Friday, Aug. 30, at 12 p.m. MT, before taking on Southern Utah at 4:30 p.m. MT. The Green and White close out opening weekend with a more familiar foe Saturday, Aug. 31, taking on Xavier University at 12 p.m. MT.
East Division
1. Miami (9) - 68
2. Bowling Green (2) - 57
3. Ohio (1)- 52
4. Buffalo - 33
5. Kent State - 28
6. Akron - 14
West Division
1. Ball State (10) - 68
2. Western Michigan (1) - 57
3. Eastern Michigan (1) - 43
4. Central Michigan - 39
5. Northern Illinois - 24
6. Toledo - 21
Regular Season Champions: Miami (8), Bowling Green (2), Ohio (1), Western Michigan (1)
Tournament Champions: Miami (6), Bowling Green (4), Buffalo (1), Western Michigan (1)
Preseason East All-MAC Team
Polina Prokudina, Buffalo
Gaby Harper, Miami
Margaret Payne, Miami
Vera Giacomazzi, Ohio
Tia Jimerson, Ohio
Lizzie Stephens, Ohio
Preseason West All-MAC Team
Amber Seaman, Ball State
Sydnee VanBeek, Ball State
Kalina Smith, Central Michigan
Cassie Haut, Eastern Michigan
Zoe Birnbrich, Toledo
Rachel Bontrager, Western Michigan
Ball State was pegged to win in the MAC West, while Western Michigan was also picked ahead of Eastern. Both WMU and EMU received one vote to win the regular season, while the Eagles' third-place preseason pick is the highest in the last five seasons. Finishing out the division was Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, and Toledo at fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively. In the East Division, Miami 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 received two first-place votes, followed by Ohio, Buffalo, Kent State, and finally, Akron. Miami was also selected as the MAC Regular Season and Tournament favorite.
The Green and White return four starters and have 11 total returners from the 2018 team that won its first MAC Tournament Championship, setting expectations high.
Haut, one of four seniors for the Eagles, was one of six players named to the All-MAC West Preseason Team. A season ago, the Monroe, Mich. native posted a career-high 392 kills while leading the conference with a .376 attack percentage.
Junior Riley Taylor (Indianapolis, Ind.-Perry Meridian) will be counted on to orchestrate the attack as the team's top setter, after the combining with Mallory Rajewski to average 11.84 assists per set last season. The Eagles also welcome back junior Franki Strefling (Niles, Mich.-Niles), who had 232 kills and the team's third-best kills-per-set average at 1.95, while also averaging the team's second-best digs-per-set mark with a 2.92 average.
The defense will be anchored by senior libero Camille Schomer (Rochester, Mich.-Oakland Christian) and junior April Houston (Minneapolis, Minn.-Southwest). Schomer finished with 95 digs a season ago, and has averaged 2.35 digs-per-set in her career. Houston came on strong as a net presence, playing as a middle blocker and finishing 2018 with 220 kills and 105 total blocks.
In addition to the release of the coaches poll, the MAC also released the Preseason All-MAC East and West divisional teams. Joining Haut for the West Division is Amber Seaman (Ball State), Sydney VanBeek (Ball State), Kalina Smith (Central Michigan), Zoe Birnbrich (Toledo), and Rachel Bontrager (Western Michigan). Representing the Preseason East Division is Plina Projudina (Buffalo), Tia Jimerson (Ohio), Gaby Harper (Miami), Margaret Payne (Miami), Lizzie Stephens (Ohio), and Vera Giacomazzi (Ohio).
EMU begins the 2019 season on the road at the Utah State Tournament, Aug. 30-31. The Eagles open the tournament against host Utah State University Friday, Aug. 30, at 12 p.m. MT, before taking on Southern Utah at 4:30 p.m. MT. The Green and White close out opening weekend with a more familiar foe Saturday, Aug. 31, taking on Xavier University at 12 p.m. MT.
East Division
1. Miami (9) - 68
2. Bowling Green (2) - 57
3. Ohio (1)- 52
4. Buffalo - 33
5. Kent State - 28
6. Akron - 14
West Division
1. Ball State (10) - 68
2. Western Michigan (1) - 57
3. Eastern Michigan (1) - 43
4. Central Michigan - 39
5. Northern Illinois - 24
6. Toledo - 21
Regular Season Champions: Miami (8), Bowling Green (2), Ohio (1), Western Michigan (1)
Tournament Champions: Miami (6), Bowling Green (4), Buffalo (1), Western Michigan (1)
Preseason East All-MAC Team
Polina Prokudina, Buffalo
Gaby Harper, Miami
Margaret Payne, Miami
Vera Giacomazzi, Ohio
Tia Jimerson, Ohio
Lizzie Stephens, Ohio
Preseason West All-MAC Team
Amber Seaman, Ball State
Sydnee VanBeek, Ball State
Kalina Smith, Central Michigan
Cassie Haut, Eastern Michigan
Zoe Birnbrich, Toledo
Rachel Bontrager, Western Michigan
Players Mentioned
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