Marian University women’s volleyball received 209 total points to finish the NACC preseason poll in seventh, as voted on by the head coaches and athletic communication professionals of the conference. 

A tightly contested poll saw Aurora narrowly finish above Edgewood by just a single point.  The Spartans received 14 first-place votes and 374 points, while the Eagles had 12 first-place selections and 373 total points.  St. Norbert and Concordia Wisconsin each received a first-place tally with the Green Knights finishing with 329 points and the Falcons 309.

Lakeland wasn’t far off the pace in fifth with 280 points followed by Benedictine at 215.  Marian was the final school to finish with more than 200 points taking in 209, and Illinois Tech finished eighth at 195.  The seventh-place finish for Marian is the highest since the 2013 season when the Sabres were tabbed sixth.  Dominican, Wisconsin Lutheran, and Concordia Chicago rounded out institutions with more than 100 points with 175, 157, and 137, respectively.  MSOE followed with 99 and Rockford had 60 with Alverno closing out the poll at 28.

The top eight schools will earn a bid to the NACC Tournament with the winner of the confernce tournament earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The full release from the NACC can be found at https://naccsports.org/.

Marian opens the season August 30-31 at the Ripon College Classic taking on Martin Luther, Mount Mary, and Luther.