INDIANAPOLIS – Lewis University, McKendree University and Rockhurst University have been selected to win their respective divisions for the 2017 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Volleyball season, it was announced by the league office on Wednesday. The Conference's preseason polls reflect the opinions of the GLVC head coaches, who awarded each team 14 first-place votes as league policy prohibits coaches from voting for their own team.
 
The GLVC regular season will feature a newly adopted three-division format with the familiar East and West Divisions along with the additional Central Division. The three divisional winners and five wild card teams will earn a berth to the eight-team GLVC Volleyball Championship Tournament on Nov. 17-19 at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Illinois. 

The Flyers repeated as the East Division favorites, earning 70 points and all 14 possible first-place votes to top the East Division. Additionally, Lewis was picked eighth in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Poll last week. Lorelee Smith, 2016 GLVC Coach of the Year, enters her 11th season at Lewis after guiding her 2016 squad to a record run in the NCAA Tournament with their Midwest Regional Title and appearance in the national semifinals. She brings back reigning GLVC Player of the Year, Aly Schneider, to the lineup as well as three other All-GLVC First Team selections in attackers Maddie Saliga and Elizabeth Hyland along with unanimous setter Abby Becker.

The University of Indianapolis earned the other first-place vote in the poll and 54 points to be ranked second ahead of third-place Bellarmine University (36). The Knights edged University of Wisconsin-Parkside (33) by three points, and the No. 4 Rangers were ahead of University of Southern Indiana that placed fifth in the East with 27 points. Bellarmine brings back the unanimous 2016 GLVC Libero of the Year Jordyn Kuchenbrod.

McKendree earns its first top spot in the league’s preseason rankings, earning all 14 first-place votes and 70 points in the Central Division. Fourth-year head coach Nickie Sanlin returns First Team All-GLVC pick Arela Williams to lead the Bearcats in her senior year, including a large incoming class of seven freshmen.

The University of Missouri-St. Louis was picked second with the remaining first-place vote and 55 points, while Quincy University picked up 42 points and third place. The University of Illinois Springfield earned 33 points for fourth, and No. 5 Maryville University (20) rounded out the new division.

Rockhurst earned 70 points and all 14 possible first-place votes to top the West Division poll for the second year in a row, and also garnered No. 23 in the AVCA D-II Poll a week ago. The Hawks return to the court led by veteran head coach, Tracy Rietzke, who ranks first all-time among active NCAA DII women’s volleyball coaches for total victories (1,180). Rockhurst returns the 2016 GLVC Freshman of the Year, Alyssa Woodman, along with All-GLVC second-team libero Anne Hellwege.

Defending GLVC Champions Truman State University took the second spot in the West with 57 points and the other first-place vote. The Bulldogs finished ahead of No. 3 Drury University (40) and No. 4 Missouri S&T (34), while William Jewell College rounded out the division in fifth with 19 points.
 
Be sure to follow @GLVCsports on Twitter and Instagram – hashtag #GLVCvb – and stay tuned for complete coverage of all home league games throughout the season on GLVCSN.com.

The complete poll follows below.
 

2017 GLVC Volleyball East Division Preseason Poll		2017 GLVC Volleyball Central Division Preseason Poll		2017 GLVC Volleyball West Division Preseason Poll
1. Lewis	70 (14)	1. McKendree	70 (14)	1. Rockhurst	70 (14)
2. Indianapolis	54 (1)	2. Missouri-St. Louis	55 (1)	2. Truman State	57 (1)
3. Bellarmine	36	3. Quincy	42	3. Drury	40
4. UW-Parkside*	33	4. Illinois Springfield	33	4. Missouri S&T	34
5. Southern Indiana	27	5. Maryville	20	5. William Jewell	19

 
*ineligible for divisional title and GLVC Tournament