RICHARDSON, Texas – The Lone Star Conference released its 2022 volleyball preseason polls, ranking the St. Edward's Hilltoppers seventh in the 17-team conference.
Outside hitter CAROLINE SWAN, libero and defensive specialist SARAH KONOVODOFF, and setter ESTHER GRUSSING were selected as preseason players to watch.
Volleyball posted a 16-12 overall record last season, including an 8-9 record in conference play. The Hilltoppers caught fire down the stretch of the season, upsetting three teams in the LSC Championship tournament before falling in three sets to West Texas A&M in the championship match. St. Edward's returns two all-conference players in MAYA SMALLS, a senior right-side hitter, and Swan.
Defending champion West Texas A&M was voted the favorite to win the LSC Championship, receiving 21 of the possible 44 first-place votes. The league's preseason poll and awards reflects the opinions of the LSC head coaches, sports information directors, and various media representatives from throughout the region.
In addition to the team rankings, West Texas A&M's Torry Miller was named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Texas A&M-Kingsville's Nicole Murff earned Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, and West Texas A&M's Blaire Moreland was tabbed Preseason Setter of the Year.
St. Edward's opens the season Friday, Aug. 26 with the Hilltopper Classic. The volleyball team will host Barry University at 11:30 a.m., and Dallas Baptist University at 7:00 p.m.
2022 LSC Volleyball Preseason Poll
| Rank |
Team |
1st |
Total |
| 1 |
West Texas A&M |
21 |
707 |
| 2 |
Angelo State |
11 |
699 |
| 3 |
UT Tyler |
7 |
680 |
| 4 |
Lubbock Christian |
|
586 |
| 5 |
DBU |
3 |
560 |
| 6 |
UT Permian Basin |
2 |
491 |
| 7 |
St. Edward's |
|
474 |
| 8 |
UAFS |
|
460 |
| 9 |
St. Mary's |
|
364 |
| 10 |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
|
363 |
| 11 |
Oklahoma Christian |
|
334 |
| 12 |
Texas Woman's |
|
283 |
| 13 |
Eastern New Mexico |
|
222 |
| 14 |
Texas A&M International |
|
188 |
| 15 |
Midwestern State |
|
145 |
| 16 |
Western New Mexico |
|
120 |
| 17 |
Cameron |
|
56 |
LSC Volleyball Preseason Offensive Players to Watch
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Major |
Hometown/High School |
| Elsa Lamphere |
Angelo State |
JR |
OH |
Interdisciplinary Studies |
Aurora, Colo./Grandview HS |
| Arianna Navarrete |
Cameron |
JR |
OH |
Psychology |
Tucson, Ariz./St. Augustine Catholic HS |
| Mikaela Garvin |
Eastern New Mexico |
SO |
OH |
Public Relations |
San Antonio, Texas/Harlan HS |
| Aaliyah Gray |
Lubbock Christian |
SO |
OH |
ESS/Athletic Training |
Lubbock, Texas/Coronado HS |
| Aaliyah Burras |
Midwestern State |
SR |
MH |
Masters of Business Administration |
Westwego, La./Isidore Newman HS |
| Hannah Rouse |
Oklahoma Christian |
SR |
OH |
Biology |
Newcastle, Okla./New Castle HS |
| CAROLINE SWAN |
St. Edward's |
SR |
OH/RS |
Psychology |
McKinney, Texas/McKinney HS |
| Jackie Alanis |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
JR |
OH |
Biomedical Science |
McAllen, Texas/James Nikki Rowe HS |
| Luna Van Baars |
Texas Woman's |
JR |
OH |
Psychology |
Tillburg, Netherlands/Tilburg University |
| Hannah Holland |
UAFS |
JR |
MB |
Middle Childhood Education |
Fort Smith, Ark./Southside HS |
| Aquincia Strambler |
UT Permian Basin |
SR |
OH/RS |
Biology |
Midland, Texas/Lee HS |
| Mikayla Ware |
UT Tyler |
SR |
OH |
Criminal Justice |
San Antonio, Texas/Clark HS |
| Torrey Miller |
West Texas A&M |
JR |
OH |
Biology |
Brownwood, Texas/Brownwood HS |
| Bria Augustine |
Western New Mexico |
SR |
OH |
Kinesiology |
Bellflower, Calif./Mayfair HS |
LSC Volleyball Preseason Defensive Players to Watch
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Major |
Hometown/High School |
| Grace White |
Angelo State |
SR |
MB |
Applied Psychology |
Helotes, Texas/Antonian Prep |
| Meagan Jimenez |
Cameron |
JR |
DS/L |
Business |
Lubbock, Texas/Monterey HS |
| Gracelyn Stubbs |
Eastern New Mexico |
SR |
MB |
Physical Education |
Albuquerque, N.M./Eldorado HS |
| Sage Chain |
Lubbock Christian |
SR |
MB |
Animal Science / Pre-Veterinary |
Schertz, Texas/Clemens HS |
| Amy DeWalt |
Midwestern State |
SO |
DS |
Education |
San Antonio, Texas/Brandeis HS |
| Brylie Berryman |
Oklahoma Christian |
SO |
DS |
Biology |
Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo Tacosa HS |
| SARAH KONOVODOFF |
St. Edward's |
JR |
L/DS |
Business |
Sugar Grove, Ill./Rosary HS |
| Nicole Murff |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
SR |
DS |
Accounting |
San Antonio, Texas/Antonian College Prep |
| Trixie Oche |
Texas Woman's |
SR |
MB |
Kinesiology-Exercise Science/Pre-PT |
Richardson, Texas/Berkner HS |
| Lauren Weber |
UAFS |
JR |
L/DS |
Business Administration |
Nixa, Mo./Nixa HS |
| Daylee Doggett |
UT Permian Basin |
JR |
DS |
Nursing |
Justin, Texas/Northwest HS |
| Savannah Guzman |
UT Tyler |
SR |
DS |
Business Administration |
San Antonio, Texas/Antonian College Prep |
| Kayla Elliott |
West Texas A&M |
SR |
MB |
Biology |
Wildomar, Calif./Elsinore HS |
| Jazmyn Walker |
Western New Mexico |
JR |
OH |
Nursing |
Las Vegas, Nev./Legacy HS |
LSC Volleyball Preseason Setters to Watch
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Major |
Hometown/High School |
| Laney Dale |
Angelo State |
SO |
S |
Business Management |
Brock, Texas/Brock HS |
| Alice Tuci |
Cameron |
FR |
S |
Undecided |
Belo Horizonte, Brazil/Colegio Loyola Jesuitas |
| Qitana Sapiga |
Eastern New Mexico |
SR |
S |
Communications |
Long Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos HS |
| Kayton Genenbacher |
Lubbock Christian |
SO |
S |
Biology |
Lubbock, Texas/Frenship HS |
| Autumn Roach |
Midwestern State |
JR |
S |
Sport and Leisure Studies |
Fort Worth, Texas/Chisholm Trail HS |
| Olivia Hessman |
Oklahoma Christian |
SR |
S |
Exercise Science |
Wichita, Kan./Andover HS |
| ESTHER GRUSSING |
St. Edward's |
SR |
S |
Business |
Willmar, Minn./Willmar HS |
| Cali Nims |
St. Mary's |
SO |
S |
Humanities |
Corpus Christi, Texas/Flower Mound HS |
| Sydney Whitmere |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
SO |
S |
Pre-engineering |
Tarkington, Texas/Tarkington HS |
| Lizzy Reed |
Texas Woman's |
SO |
S |
Kinesiology |
Frisco, Texas/Memorial HS |
| Chloe Price |
UAFS |
JR |
S |
Organizational Leadership |
Siloam Springs, Ark./Siloam Springs HS |
| Blair Moreland |
West Texas A&M |
SO |
S |
Equine Industry and Business |
Katy, Texas/Saint John XXII HS |
| Madelynn Culp |
Western New Mexico |
SR |
S |
Accounting |
Vancouver, Wash./Union HS |
