OMAHA, Neb. -- The Omaha volleyball team was picked to finish in a tie for fifth in the 2017 Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll, the conference office announced Thursday.
Defending league champion Denver was selected as the league's favorite after collecting five first-place votes and 47 total points. South Dakota finished second with three-first place votes and 45 points, while Oral Roberts claimed the third spot with 35 points. Fort Wayne (33) came in fourth, with Omaha (22) and North Dakota State (22) knotted for fifth. South Dakota State (12) and Western Illinois (eight) rounded out the poll.
Senior setter
Sydney O'Shaughnessy was also included on the Summit League's Players to Watch list. As a junior, the Omaha native ranked sixth in the league for assists (977) and assists per set (9.22), and she enters her senior campaign with 3,188 career assists, the third most among active league setters.
The Mavericks return eight letterwinners from their 2016 squad. They are led by head coach
Rose Shires, the winningest coach in program history with a career record of 483-365 as she enters her 28th season.
Omaha hosts its annual Black/White Scrimmage this Saturday, Aug. 19 at 4 p.m. at Sapp Fieldhouse, and the event is free and open to the public. UNO officially opens the 2017 season at the Iowa State Challenge, Aug. 25-26, with matches against New Mexico, host Iowa State and Kent State in Ames, Iowa.
2017 SUMMIT LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
School -- Points (First-Place Votes)
1. Denver -- 47 (5)
2. South Dakota -- 45 (3)
3. Oral Roberts – 35
4. Fort Wayne – 33
T5. Omaha – 22
T5. North Dakota State – 22
7. South Dakota State – 12
8. Western Illinois – 8
2017 SUMMIT LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
Player (School), Position
Claire Grove (Western Illinois), OH
Brittany Jessen (South Dakota), S
Becca Latham (Denver), OH
Elizabeth Loschen (South Dakota), OH
Laura Milos (Oral Roberts), OH
Sydney O'Shaughnessy (Omaha), S
Mikaela Purnell (North Dakota State), OH/DS
Nicole Rightnowar (Fort Wayne), OH
Ashlynn Smith (South Dakota State), OH
