RICHARDSON, Texas – The Lone Star Conference released the 2023 Volleyball Preseason Poll Wednesday, with defending LSC and national champion West Texas A&M picked to defend its title. The poll was voted on by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media representatives.
University of Arkansas - Fort Smith was selected eighth in the poll. This is the second consecutive year the Lions have been picked eighth.
WTAMU compiled 762 points, receiving 42 of the 45 first-place votes. UT Tyler came in second with 644 points while Texas A&M-Kingsville tallied 590 points to come in third. Dallas Baptist (564 points) and Angelo State (519) rounded out the top five. DBU garnered two first-place votes.
St. Mary's (494) was voted sixth in the poll, followed by Texas A&M International (493), UAFS (468), Texas Woman's (395) and Lubbock Christian (382) to fill out the top 10.
Oklahoma Christian (291), St. Edward's (276), UT Permian Basin (264), Eastern New Mexico (221), Midwestern State (183), Western New Mexico (88) and Cameron (71) completed the poll. UTPB received the other first-place vote.
The Lions also had three players named to the Players to Watch List in outside hitter Caelyn Gunn, setter Chloe Price and middle blocker Hannah Watkins.
Gunn was an LSC All-Freshman and LSC Second Team honoree a year ago after totaling 265 kills and leading the Lions with 3.23 kills per set. She had a season-high 24 kills against St. Mary's and posted 10 double-doubles last season.
Price orchestrated the Lions' offense with 850 assists last season and ranks sixth all-time with 1,273 career assists. She had a career-high 54 assists against Lubbock Christian and had 17 double-doubles as she ranked second on the team with 304 digs. She had nine matches with over 40 assists.
Watkins will look to step into a larger role in the middle this season for UAFS after totaling 22 blocks and 76 kills in the 2022 season. She hit .500 with 14 kills in a match against St. Mary's and had six matches with seven or more kills.
Volleyball gets its 41st season of LSC play gets underway when the 17 teams open on September 1. The LSC Volleyball Tournament is scheduled November 16-18 hosted by the No. 1 seed following conference play. The Division II Championship opens November 30 with the final December 9.
The Lions started practice today in preparations for the Newberry Invitational September 1-2.
