NSAA preseason volleyball poll, UJ No. 2, VCSU No. 4

Madison, SD – Viterbo, Wis,  is the unanimous coaches’ favorite to win the North Star Athletic Association Volleyball conference title, the conference office announced Monday.

It’s the third straight year that Viterbo was picked as the league favorite to win the North Star conference title.  The coaches’ preseason poll was voted by the league head coaches.

Since joining the North Star conference in 2015, the V-Hawks remained undefeated in all 24 conference matches.  VU finished the 2016 season with an astounding overall record of 42-3 and 16-0 record in the NSAA conference play.

Viterbo collected all nine first-place votes, tallying a total of 81 points in the poll.  Jamestown (N.D.) recorded 70 points to finish second, followed by Bellevue (Neb.) third with 64 points.  Viterbo, Jamestown and Bellevue qualified for the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament in Sioux City last season.

Valley City State (N.D.) finished fourth in the preseason poll with 51 points, followed by Dickinson State (N.D.) fifth with 41 points and Dakota State (S.D.) sixth with 38 points.  Waldorf (Iowa) was picked to finish seventh (29 points), Mayville State (N.D.) eighth (19 points) and Presentation (S.D.) ninth (12 points).

The North Star Athletic Association volleyball conference matches begin on Tuesday, Sept. 12 with Dickinson State hosting Presentation.  All NSAA conference members will be playing a 16-match schedule (8 matches at home and 8 matches on the road).

The top six teams will qualify for the North Star conference postseason tournament.  The postseason tournament will be held at the No. 1 seed on Nov. 10-11.

The NSAA postseason tournament’s champion will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament.  The national tournament opening round is slated for Nov. 18 at campus sites, with each opening round winners advancing to the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa on Nov. 28-Dec. 2.

Here is the complete list of the 2017 NSAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll below:

(PlayNorthStar.com)