Aug. 21, 2008
Missouri Valley Conference Release 
ST. LOUIS - Despite returning six starters from last season's NCAA Tournament at-large squad, the Illinois State volleyball team was picked fifth in the 2008 preseason Missouri Valley Conference Coaches Poll, as announced by the league office Thursday. The Redbirds have now been picked fifth in three-consecutive preseason polls.
"The preseason seeding reflects the respect the conference coaches have for what Wichita State, Northern Iowa and Creighton have done in the past years inside and outside of the Missouri Valley Conference," said head coach Melissa Myers. "Our fifth seeding reflects our regular season finish in 2007. This ranking should motivate our volleyball players to reflect upon what they can do different in 2008, and to take responsibility with the culture they want to develop as a competitive volleyball team.
"Based on our first two weeks with the team in 2008, we can see that they are developing new ways to compete. We can also see players who didn't see a significant amount of playing time in 2007 emerging as contributors."
ISU's senior tandem of setter Erin Lindsey and right side hitter M.C. Richmond were both named to the preseason All-Valley team. Lindsey has been a preseason selection in each of the past three seasons, and Richmond will be looking to become just the third player in ISU history to be named to the All-MVC First-Team three times in her career.
"I'm honored to be voted onto the preseason All-Valley team," said Lindsey. "There are so many great athletes in our conference, so for me to be recognized and associated with their names, is always exciting. Our entire team is looking forward to the challenge of making a great run in the Valley this season."
Richmond was equally as proud to be recognized by her peers within the Valley.
"I am appreciative and honored to be recognized by the Valley coaches, but am much more focused on the team goals we have set out for ourselves this season," said Richmond. "If we can achieve the success we had last season, and I play at or above the level I was playing at as a junior; then it will make all of the individual honors much more worthwhile down the road."
Defending regular-season champion Wichita State collected a league-high four first-place votes and 91 total points, and was picked as the league's preseason favorite. State Farm MVC Tournament champion UNI (84) was picked second with two first-place votes; Creighton had three-first place votes and 81 points and was picked third; Missouri State had 73 points, including one first-place vote, and was tabbed fourth; sixth-place Southern Illinois earned 52 total votes; Evansville (31) was picked seventh, while Drake (31), Bradley (25) and Indiana State (12) rounded out the 10-team poll.
Lindsey and Richmond were joined on the preseason All-Valley team by Creighton setter Korie Lebeda, Missouri State outside hitter Sara Staubach; UNI outside hitter Shannon Aschoff and the Panthers' middle blocker Ashten Stelken, and Wichita State's junior tandem of Emily Stockman and Stephanie Tokarz.
Myers, who posted a 161-49 record the last six years at Division II California (Pa.) University, inherits a team that went
21-12 (11-7 MVC), and went on a Cinderella ride during the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament by advancing to the championship match, upsetting host Missouri State and No. 22 Wichita State, who both advanced to the NCAA's, along the way.
Sophomore outside hitter Mallory Leggett returns for her sophomore campaign after stringing together one of the most dominant offensive freshman seasons in program history. A member of the Valley's All-Freshman Team, Leggett totaled 357 kills (3.10 kpg), 50 blocks and 419 points to go along with 406 digs. The three-time MVC Newcomer of the Week caught fire in the Valley Tournament, averaging 4.0 kills per game.
Junior libero Kasey Mollerus, the anchor of ISU's record-setting defense the past two seasons, is also a top returnee. She owns three of the top-six single-match dig efforts in school history, and broke the single-season record with 586 digs last season, eclipsing the previous mark of 581, in ISU's first-round NCAA Tournament match against Colorado State. Mollerus' career 4.99 digs per game is the active-leading mark at ISU. She was a member of the 2006 MVC All-Newcomer team.
"The conference has several solid returning players, with MC (Richmond) and Erin (Lindsey) among them," added Myers. "They are both coming off solid performances last season and were two of our three top scorers. Being recognized by the conference coaches will motivate them to bring their best performances in matches and in practices so they will be able to influence their teammates competitively. The next step in their career is not only to improve their game, but to continue making their teammates better around them."
Illinois State opens the 2008 campaign Friday, Aug. 29 against No. 18 Iowa State in the first round of the Panther Invitational in Milwaukee.
2008 MVC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Wichita State (4): 91
2. UNI (2): 84
3. Creighton (3): 81
4. Missouri State (1): 73
5. Illinois State: 67
6. Southern Illinois: 52
7. Evansville: 34
8. Drake: 31
9. Bradley: 25
10. Indiana State: 12
