The Wayne State College volleyball team was picked first in the 2024 NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll released Thursday morning by the league office in Burnsville, Minnesota. Wildcat senior middle hitter Taya Beller was selected as the Wildcat Player of the Year in the NSIC this season.
Wayne State collected 12 first-place votes and 194 points in voting conducted by league coaches in the poll. The ‘Cats captured a second straight Northern Sun Conference regular season title last season with a perfect 18-0 league mark and closed the 2023 season at 31-3 after advancing to the NCAA Elite 8 for the second time in program history after winning the NCAA Central Region title.
Concordia-St. Paul was second in the preseason coaches’ poll with 178 points and one first-place vote with St. Cloud State right behind in third at 177 points and the remaining two first-place ballots. Southwest Minnesota State (150 pts) and Minnesota Duluth (148) rounded out the top five teams, which all advanced to the NCAA Division II national tournament last season.
Winona State was sixth with 122 points followed by Northern State (121), Sioux Falls (110), Minnesota State (89) and Augustana (83) closing out the top 10 teams.
Beller, a 6-2 senior rightside/middle hitter from Lindsay, is a three-time All-NSIC First Team selection for the Wildcats that has been voted AVCA and D2CCA All-America First Team that last two seasons. Last year, Beller led the Wildcats in kills (3.53) and blocks (1.13) per set ranking first in the NSIC in blocks and fifth in sets. She was second in the NSIC and 16th nationally in hitting percentage at .381 and tied for second in the NSIC averaging 4.40 points per set. Beller was a three-time NSIC Offensive Player of the Week last season.
Wayne State opens the 2024 season on Thursday, September 5th facing Adelphi (N.Y.) at the Eckerd College Tournament in St. Petersburg, Florida at 6 p.m.
2024 Preseason NSIC Volleyball Coaches Poll
1. Wayne State (12) 194 pts.
2. Concordia-St. Paul (1) 178 pts.
3. St. Cloud State (2) 177 pts.
4. Southwest Minnesota State 150 pts.
5. Minnesota Duluth 148 pts.
6. Winona State 122 pts.
7. Northern State 121 pts.
8. Sioux Falls 110 pts.
9. Minnesota State 89 pts.
10. Augustana 83 pts.
11. Bemidji State 67 pts.
12. University of Mary 48 pts.
13. MSU Moorhead 47 pts.
14. Minnesota Crookston 27 pts.
15. Minot State 14 pts.
first place votes in ( )
