ST. PAUL (Aug. 27, 2008) – Northwestern College, who went one win shy of a Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) sweep in 2007 en route to becoming conference champions, was unanimously picked as the preseason favorite in the 2008 preseason coaches poll. The Eagles, winners of 12 straight conference matches last season, received 49 points and seven first place votes in the poll. Northwestern returns six of their seven starters from a year ago, all of whom were selected for first team or honorable mention all-conference accolades.
The College of St. Scholastica, who tied for second in the conference in 2007 (11-3 UMAC), was picked to finish second, accumulating 40 points and a first place vote in the coaches poll. The Saints return first team all-conference senior Shawna Varichak (Hibbing, Minn.), who boasted 3.97 kills per game last year.
Northland College, winner of the 2007 postseason tournament, was predicted to finish third in the UMAC, earning 37 points in the poll. The fourth-place LumberJills from 2007 return five of their starters from a year ago. Northland (9-5 UMAC in 2007) will rely on junior Melissa Anderson (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) for offense, as she led the team with 3.15 kills per game last season.
Coming in fourth in the coaches poll with 34 points was Bethany Lutheran College. The Vikings, who tied for second place in the conference last year (11-3 UMAC), will be without 2007 conference Player of the Year, Leslie Bremer due to graduation. Senior Eva Voss (North Mankato, Minn.), a UMAC First Team All-Conference player in 2007, and three other returning starters will do their best to carry the Vikings’ load in 2008.
The University of Minnesota-Morris (4-10 UMAC in 2007) will have a new face representing its program in 2008 in head coach Chad Braegelmann. A Minnesota-Morris alumnus, Braegelmann has coached at Colby-Sawyer College (N.H.) for the past seven seasons, compiling a 54-9 record. The Cougars were picked to finish fifth in the conference, receiving 18 points in the preseason poll.
Martin Luther College (4-10 UMAC in 2007) hopes to return to their form of 2006 when the Knights won the UMAC championship. All-conference honorable mention selection Amanda Polzin (Rhinelander, Wis.) along with teammate Jamie Eternick (Waterloo, Wis.) will return to head coach Lori Unke’s squad that was predicted to finish sixth in the conference.
Presentation College also opens the 2008 season with a change in coaches as Chelsey Albrecht takes the team in a new direction. The Saints (4-10 UMAC in 2007), who tied with Crown College for seventh place in the preseason coaches poll with 13 points, return 2007 all-conference player Heidi Meier.
Crown hopes to improve after head coach Kimmie Moehring’s first go-around as a head coach in 2007 (0-14 UMAC). The Storm returns four starters from last year’s team along with touted recruit Naomi Anderson. Anderson was a three-time all-conference athlete in high school.
After non-conference tournaments and matches, UMAC contests will begin on Sept. 26.