Posted: Aug 26, 2022

Greenville Look to Repeat as Volleyball Champs

Aiming for its 5th consecutive St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season title, the Greenville University volleyball program is the preseason favorite for the 2022 season; totaling 45 points and four first-place votes. It will be a new challenge however for Head Coach Tom Ackerman as Anna Finch graduates after five years of dominating the net as do fellow starters Emily Stahl and Jasmin Smith. One of just three returning starters is First Team All-Conference libero Chasity Hill. Hill led the league with 506 digs and was named the SLIAC Defensive Player of the Year last season. Setter Kaitlin Murray was a Third Team All-Conference pick last year after averaging 4.4 assists per set. Opposite Sacorra Patton finished with 218 kills last season and has a clear path for a bigger role in the offense this season. Freshmen Madison Schmidt, an opposite, and Lainey Hicks, a middle blocker, could figure into the rotation.

Westminster College, which advanced to the championship match last year, was a close second with 44 points and three first-place votes. The Blue Jays went 14-16 overall last season but shined in the conference, going 9-3. Head Coach Dalton Tucker brings back four starters while welcoming in eight freshmen and two transfers. The offense should excel with three experienced hitters in the lineup. Eryka Wanyonyi is a three-time All-Conference performer and once again led the team in kills with 373 while adding 34 aces and 344 digs. Haley Menke, a two-time All-Conference player herself, joins her on the outside after totaling 318 kills and 38 blocks. Payton Bledsoe is back as well after finishing with 122 kills and 61 blocks. Kate Rable will take over the setter position after the graduation of Gretchen Durbala. Coach Tucker will work in his group of eight freshmen as well as transfers Malena Bixby and Gracie Henrikson.

Webster University received the only other first-place vote and comes in 3rd on the poll with 40 points. Head Coach Merry Graf returns four starters and 10 total players from last year's team. Two-time reigning SLIAC Player of the Year Lauren Borik is back for a graduate season and will form a potent punch with middle hitter Kayle Portell. Borik threw down 360 kills last season while hitting .360 and adding 321 digs. Portell meanwhile finished with 121 kills and 41 blocks from her position. Sophomore setter Ellie Biedenstein could challenge for the right to start the offense while freshmen Tyler Ramstack and Abby Jacobs are promising hitters.

Finishing with 31 points and 4th is Fontbonne University. The Griffins tied for 4th place in the standings last season and will be under the guidance of first-year head coach Jimmy Stika. He walks into a good situation with the return of every starter and 13 total players coming back. Outside Hitters Jadyn Fitzgerald (282 kills) and Hannah Gallager (161 kills) give setter Ella Werner-Click multiple options. Also joining that pairing is sophomore opposite Kristen Kaempfe, who totaled 222 kills and 35 blocks. Defensive Specialist Emma Pramik ranked third in the league with 408 digs. Newcomers Morgan Horrell, Payton Siebert, and Kiya Kolb should see some time on the court.

Spalding University received 25 points after finishing 3rd in the SLIAC standings. New head coach Taryn Glass has four returning starters including the SLIAC Newcomer of the Year Jayda Branch. Branch led the team with 228 kills while adding 250 digs and earning Second Team All-Conference honors. Junior Kendall Mattison, a middle blocker, finished with 76 kills and 27 blocks last season. Coach Glass will look for Abigail Ratts, KJ Baker, and Brianna Terpening to fill key roles on the team.

Blackburn College was picked 6th, totaling 18 points. The Beavers bring back six starters and 11 players from last year's team and will be under the direction of first-year head coach Marlee Lindstrom. Although leading attacker Lucy Magnussen has graduated the Beavers bring back their next five leading hitters. Emilie King (158 kills) and Jessica Muckensturm (145 kills) each reached triple digits in kills while Emily Eitzenhefer, Elizabeth Bowyer, and Kyleigh Marty will look to add to their totals. The defensive unit will be led by senior libero Autumn Wilson. Wilson totaled 443 digs last season, ranking second in the conference. Top newcomers include Jordan Watts and Zoe Mitchell.

Eureka College finished with 14 points and will be led by first-year head coach Candace Van Bogaert. The Red Devils bring back six starters including their leading hitter from last year, Brooklyn Shell. As a freshman, the outside hitter totaled 180 kills and 186 digs. She is joined by fellow sophomore Alexis Charlton and senior libero Megan Masching. Among the new faces to the program are junior setter Hope McGinnes and freshmen Frannie Heckman and Maddison Richards.

Principia College completes the poll voting, tallying 7 points. The Panthers welcome in new head coach Geoffrey Davis. The team brings back four players from last year; its first year after a two-year absence. Senior Madie Leslie will be one of the team leaders and led the team in blocks and was third in kills. Eloise Esseks, another senior, as well as sophomore Neha Bandrapalli and junior Angie Whitmore round out the returners. Newcomers expected to see time are freshman Lusho Hambiliki and sophomores Sharon Martinez and Mia Saucedo.