BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference has released the 2012 Preseason Volleyball Coaches' Poll. Coming in just behind Augustana College with 146 points, the Dragons are ranked 7th in the poll.

Conference favorite and defending five-time NCAA DII National Champions, Concordia-St. Paul, landed at the top of the poll with 225 points and 15 first place votes. Rounding out the top five behind the CU-SP Golden Bears were Minnesota Duluth, Southwest Minnesota State, Wayne State and Minnesota State.

Concordia-St. Paul also boasts this year's Preseason Player of the Year, Kayla Koenecke. Koenecke, an AVCA All-American, returns to the Golden Bears for her junior season as a right side hitter.    

The Dragons are returning 11 letter winners to the squad this season, including All-NSIC Honorable Selections libero Katy Ness, outside hitter Heidi Lensing and setter Anna Olson.

Ness looks to continue to make history for the Dragons after finishing last season No. 1 in the NSIC and No. 8 in the nation with an average of 6.03 digs per set. These numbers earned her NSIC Defensive Player of the Week five times in the 2011 season, which is the most times a Dragon athlete has been named NSIC Player of the Week in a single season.

The Dragons finished last season as the No. 6 team in the conference (13-14, 11-9 NSIC) and the No. 1 defensive team in the nation, averaging 19.88 digs per game. Alongside Ness, Lensing and Olson will aid in the teams defensive strike averaging 3.41 and 2.57 digs per set, respectively

Head Coach Tammy Blake-Kath has a positive outlook for her girls this season. “Finishing first in the nation as a team for defense last year is a huge strength of ours,” says Blake-Kath.

“This season we are going to be a stronger blocking team though. I am looking forward to that. With all the returners we have and where we finished last year, I am surprised to see us ranked 7th."

The Dragons out-blocked their opponents last season 346 to 333. Middle Blocker Meredith Egeland paced the Dragons at the net. Egeland led the team in blocks with nine solo blocks and 76 block assists for an average of 0.9 blocks per set.

Morgan Gradishar and Lensing were behind Egeland with 8 solo blocks and 55 block assists, and 7 solo blocks and 50 block assists, respectively.

The team's seniors are ready to get the season going and have big goals in mind.

“We want to come out strong as a team and score the first points of the game," says Egeland. "We have the experience coming back and a strong feeling of family and togetherness built."

The Dragon newcomers have great potential as well with six freshmen finding a spot on the roster.

“We have a good strong group of freshman behind us,” said Olson.

The Dragons open their season on Aug. 31 at the Rollins Tournament in Winter Park, Fla., against Chestnut Hill. Regular season action will kick off on the road on Sept. 9 against the Huskies of St. Cloud State University.

Dragon Media Day will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 14 at 1:00 p.m. at Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse.  All Fall Dragon sports will be in attendance including football, soccer, cross country and volleyball.
 
NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll Release