River States Conference

IU Kokomo picked as favorite in #RSCVOLLEYBALL Preseason Coaches' Poll

8/18/2018 12:00:00 AM

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- IU Kokomo is once again the preseason favorite in the 2018 River States Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Cougars are coming off a 30-10 season, and they earned nine out of a possible 10 first-place votes in the polling of the RSC volleyball head coaches.

IU Kokomo went a perfect 16-0 in the RSC last year to claim the conference's regular-season title, and it reached the finals of the RSC Tournament. The Cougars made their third NAIA national tournament appearance in a row with the others being conference tournament championships in 2015 and 2016.

IU East was picked second this preseason, and the Red Wolves were the 2017 RSC Tournament champs. With an overall record of 21-19 and a conference mark of 12-4, IU East won the RSC East Division and swept the playoff bracket on its home court to make a return to the NAIA national tournament with a young roster. The Red Wolves beat IU Kokomo, 3-2, in the RSC finals.

Point Park (Pa.) University was next in the poll in third place. The Pioneers were 21-14 overall, 10-6 RSC last year for second place in the RSC East. Asbury (Ky.) University was just one vote behind and fourth overall in the preseason poll. The Eagles, who were RSC Tournament semifinalists last year, are coming off a season of 20-8 overall, 12-4 RSC.

IU Southeast was not far behind and placed fifth in the voting. The Grenadiers were 17-20 overall and 11-5 RSC for fourth place in a very tough RSC West Division last year. Brescia (Ky.) University makes it four of the top six teams in the poll being from the RSC West with a sixth-place showing. The Bearcats had a strong season of 22-14, 13-3 RSC a year ago for second place in the division.

WVU Tech and University of Rio Grande (Ohio) are projected as the other two playoff teams from the RSC East, and they came in seventh and eighth in the poll. The top four teams from each division make the postseason. Carlow (Pa.) University and Cincinnati Christian University are tied for ninth in the poll, and both of those teams just missed the playoffs last year in fifth place in the RSC East and West, respectively. Ohio Christian University and Midway (Ky.) University rounded out the voting in 11th and 12th place.

Some volleyball teams within the conference are getting underway this weekend, the first weekend for NAIA volleyball. Most are getting their seasons started this coming week or next weekend. Follow River States Conference volleyball all year long at RiverStatesConference.com and on social media with hashtag #RSCVOLLEYBALL, on Twitter @RiverStatesConf and @RSCScores and on Facebook.com/RiverStatesConference.

2018 RIVER STATES CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON COACHES' POLL (Aug. 18)
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)