Three-time defending champion Northern Iowa was picked first in the preseason Missouri Valley Conference volleyball coaches poll and Illinois State senior setter
Becky Weber was one of seven players chosen to the preseason all-conference team.
But the surprise is that the Redbirds, who return 12 letterwinners including Weber, were picked to finish fourth in the poll. If that prediction came true, it would mark the lowest regular-season conference finish ever for Illinois State, which has won or shared regular-season league honors seven times and never finished lower than tied for third.
Illinois State's fourth-place is its lowest preseason pick ever, just as second-place Creighton has the highest preseason rank in the program's eight-year history. Southwest Missouri State was picked third in the poll.
Second-year Redbird coach
Sharon Dingman is philosophical about it.
"I understand why we are where we are in the poll," said Dingman. "We have the most unknowns in the conference. I don't think anyone in the conference had five surgeries in the offseason, so, with all those question marks, they probably put us where they thought we belong."
Weber, one of three setters and five seniors in the group, is a returning first-team all-conference player and leads a veteran Redbird team which includes five seniors and six juniors and finished 19-10 overall, 15-3 and in second place in the Valley in 2000. The five surgeries Dingman referred to include two shoulder surgeries for
Jenny Kabbes, shoulder surgery for
Megan O'Connell, back surgery for
Julie Washburn and knee surgery for
Christy Beyers.
Dingman believes her team will use the poll results to its advantage.
"I think it will be good motivation," she said. "We have an experienced team, and our team understands that where you are in November is a whole lot more important than where you are August 1."
She believes Weber is one of the league's elite players.
"Becky had a tremendous spring season and we expect her to be one of the elite players in the conference," said Dingman. "For our team to perform to our expectations, she will have to be an elite player."
Northern Iowa, 54-0 in league play over the past three seasons, also dominated the preseason all-conference team with senior outside hitter Kim McCaffrey plus setter Jill Arganbright and middle blocker Molly O'Brien, the only two non-seniors on the squad. Both are sophomores.
Samantha Hardwick of Bradley, whose sister Andi was Valley Player of the Year for Illinois State in 1996, was one of three setters picked. Creighton middle blocker Melissa Walsh and SMS outside hitter Rese McNatt complete the seven-player squad.
The top six regular-season finishers in the Valley will compete for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in the State Farm-Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball Tournament Nov. 23-24 at Redbird Arena. If that runs true to form, Northern Iowa, Illinois State, Creighton and SMS will be joined by No. 5 Bradley and No. 6 Indiana State.
2001 Missouri Valley
Volleyball Preseason Poll
(by vote of Valley volleyball head coaches)
Rank Team Points*
1. Northern Iowa 90
2. Creighton 73
3. SMS 72
4. Illinois State 68
5. Bradley 50
6. Indiana State 46
7. Evansville 35
8. Wichita State 29
9. Southern Illinois 22
10. Drake 10
* points are awarded in reverse order of rank (lst place is 10, 2nd place is 9, etc.)
2001 Missouri Valley Volleyball
Preseason All-Conference Team
(by vote of Valley volleyball head coaches)
Player, Team Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown (High School)
Becky Weber, Illinois State S 5-10 Sr. Union, Ill. (Huntley)
Samantha Hardwick, Bradley S 5-9 Sr. Normal, Ill. (West)
Kim McCaffrey, Northern Iowa OH 6-0 Sr. Carroll, Iowa (Carroll)
Rese McNatt, SW Missouri State OH 6-0 Sr. Fullerton, Calif. (Rosary)
Melissa Walsh, Creighton MB 6-0 Sr. Omaha, Neb. (Skutt Catholic)
Jill Arganbright, Northern Iowa S 5-10 So. Iowa City, Iowa (West)
Molly O'Brien, Northern Iowa MB 6-0 So. Parnell, Iowa (Williamsburg)
