Volleyball: Preseason Conference Predictions
It's August and that means the return of my favorite fall sport. That's right, volleyball. While I haven't quite gotten to my season preview (should be one for volleyball and the soccers coming if next week goes as planned), stories are already hitting the news wire.
Today, the Big Ten released the Preseason Conference Poll and Preseason All Big Ten teams. Michigan, coming off a 27-10 regular season and #9 final national ranking, has been picked to finish 5th in the Big Ten (pdf) behind perennial favorite Penn State, Illinois, Minnesota, and Ohio State. This is pretty much on par with the final standings last year, where Michigan finished tied with Ohio State in 4th place.
Coach Rosen via MGoBlue:
"Preseason polls do not mean much," 12th-year head coach Mark Rosen said. "The conference is good enough right now that one through 11 is up for grabs. I really think that the Big Ten is the deepest it has ever been this year. We have a lot of work to do to live up to that finish, but I think that our team is up for it."
Along with the standings, Michigan also had two players named to the Preseason All Big Ten Team. Senior setter Lexi Zimmerman makes her 3rd consecutive Preseason All Big Ten Team, this time as a unanimous pick.
Joining Zimmerman on the Preseason All Big Ten Team is junior left side hitter Alex Hunt. Hunt makes her first appearance on the Preseason Team, and looks to be Michigan's biggest returning weapon after the graduation of Juliana Paz and Veronica Rood.
(Photos via MGoBlue)
August 12th, 2010 at 7:28 PM ^
Ohio State will finish above Michigan.
August 12th, 2010 at 7:39 PM ^
After finishing tied last year (both went 12-8), I could see coaches seeing being close, especially given Michigan's losses. That said, I'm not sure OSU has the talent level that Michigan does.
August 12th, 2010 at 7:53 PM ^
That was my reasoning. Let's just say that Michigan suffered from Lexi's injury, and Ohio State sort of overachieved toward the end against Michigan and MSU, in a way that would be really flukey if it recurred, ime.
August 12th, 2010 at 9:02 PM ^
NEEDS MOAR PAZ
August 13th, 2010 at 10:41 AM ^
I'm gonna miss her. Did she graduate or just run out of elegibility? Cause I'm still hoping to meet her in some class and ask her out. Just kidding. Sort of. Though she is probably taller than me
August 13th, 2010 at 11:22 AM ^
I'm fairly certain she graduated. She's definitely out of eligibility though. She was at a JUCO for 2 years (mastering the English language to ease her transition to UM) before her two at Michigan.
August 13th, 2010 at 2:30 PM ^
As of April, she was dating Mark Beilein. Think of the crazy athletic future Wolverines that could bear!
Also, this last semester I passed by her in East Hall a lot. She was surprisingly not extremely tall. She seemed about as tall as me, so in the 5'10"-5'11" ish area.
Alex Hunt, on the other hand, is a legit 6'0. She'll wreck bitches.
August 14th, 2010 at 11:20 PM ^
Unless she changed her Beilein preference, she was dating Patrick Beilein, of West Virginia lore and former graduate assistant here for the past two seasons. He has moved on to be an assistant coach somewhere now though (can't remember the school).
August 12th, 2010 at 9:11 PM ^
That picture of Lexi is sick. Girl gets up.
I can't wait for Volleyball. I don't know if I can put it ahead of Football, like FA, but damn its close given the current state of the respective programs. It'll be interesting to see who steps up as a hitter to fill some big shoes.
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/111509aab.html
The MGoBlue story on the incoming class which features
- M Volleyball's first Canadian recruit
- M Volleyball's first Texan recruit
- Molly Toon, daughter of NFL great Al Toon
August 13th, 2010 at 12:21 AM ^
Hunt is going to kill someone. I have never seen an arm like hers, it's absolutely sick. Someone needs to bring a pitching gun to a game and clock her hits.
August 13th, 2010 at 1:35 AM ^
If anyone's interested and a student, WCBN will be calling volleyball games once again this year, soooo join up and get yourself as much M volleyball as you can possibly handle, complete with free drinks and cookies!
August 13th, 2010 at 3:18 PM ^
If you haven't checked it out - you're missing a ton of fun. Tickets are cheap. I hope that we are merely reloading this year. I agree that Penn State is in a class of it's own - and rightfully so. Illinois and Minnesota are probably placed correctly. Michigan and OSU are a toss up to me.
I am not holding myself out to be any kind of expert on this. But I did take in several games last year and have a flavor for most of the teams. Clearly, I do not know each team's graduation and incoming freshmen though.
Good stuff.
August 25th, 2010 at 9:38 PM ^
Mr. Formerly,
Next canto please. You have been the highlight of the preseason.
Sincerely,
Mr. RowOne
August 25th, 2010 at 9:53 PM ^
Noted. Bad time in life last 2 weeks. Long distance gf decided to "re-evaluate" if the relationship was working right when I started writing the last canto. Then finals kicked in. Now class has re-started. Need a less stressful day to get things done. Perhaps Sunday night.
August 26th, 2010 at 12:18 PM ^
I will be checking obsessively sunday. thanks for the heads up.
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