CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Mid-American Conference announced the result of its preseason volleyball coaches' poll today, with Western Michigan picked to finish second in the MAC West division with five first-place votes. Sophomore Sydney LeMay was honored as a Preseason All-MAC West selection.
The Broncos are coming off a season in which they won four matches in as many days in the 2014 MAC Tournament, claiming the program's first MAC Tournament title since 2000 and the first under reigning MAC Coach of the Year Colleen Munson. WMU made its third NCAA Tournament appearance under Munson and 12th overall last year, going 22-14 and falling to #2 Wisconsin in the first round.
LeMay was dominant as a freshman in 2014, claiming MAC Freshman of the Year, First Team All-MAC and MAC All-Tournament Team honors. The middle blocker averaged 2.56 kills per set and hit .317 on the season. She saved some of her best for the MAC Tournament, recording double-digit kills totals in all four matches, including 17 in the Broncos' 3-2 victory over the top-seeded Ohio Bobcats in the semifinals. She claimed another all-tournament honor earlier in the season, earning accolades at the Golden Dome Invitational hosted by Notre Dame earlier in the season.
2015 MAC East order of finish (# first place votes)
1. Ohio (10)
2. Miami (2)
3. Kent State
4. Bowling Green
5. Buffalo
6. Akron
2015 MAC West order of finish
1. Northern Illinois (7)
2. Western Michigan (5)
3. Ball State
4. Central Michigan
5. Eastern Michigan
6. Toledo
2015 MAC Regular Season Champion (# of total votes)
Ohio (10)
Miami (1)
Northern Illinois (1)
MAC Tournament Champion (# of total votes)
Ohio (8)
Northern Illinois (3)
Eastern Michigan (1)
2015 Preseason All-MAC East
Jelena Sunjic, Bowling Green
Jenny Ingle, Miami
Paige Hill, Miami
Meredith Ashy, Ohio
Karin Bull, Ohio
Abby Gilleland, Ohio)
2015 Preseason All-MAC West
Jenna Spadafora, Ball State
Kelly Hopkins, Ball State
Angelique White, Central Michigan
Alexis Gonzalez, Northern Illinois
Jenna Radtke, Northern Illinois
Sydney LeMay, Western Michigan
