Fulton, MO 8/26/2022- The Westminster College volleyball team has been selected to finish second overall according to the SLIAC coaches' preseason poll, earning three first places votes. The Blue Jays finished second in the conference regular season and conference tournament in 2021, losing to the Greenville Panthers in the championship game. The Jays lost two key pieces with the graduation of setter Gretchen Durbala and middle Claire Whitehouse. Senior Kate Rable (Saint Peters, MO/ Fort Zumwalt South) will take over as the setter alongside fellow seniors Eryka Wanyonyi (Columbia, MO/Hickman) , Payton Bledsoe (Mexico, Mo. / Mexico,) and Haley Menke (O'Fallon, Mo. / Fort Zumwalt West) as they try to lead their squad to another successful season.
Coach Dalton Tucker is looking to build on his inaugural season. Entering his second season as head coach, he says "we return a strong core from last year and brought in a very talented recruiting class to help round out the team. We are extremely excited about the upcoming season and are looking forward to continuing building on the success from last season." Coach Tucker believes everyone could find playing time this fall.
The defending champs of Greenville University were picked to repeat this year after receiving four first-place votes from the conference coaches. Webster University was selected to finish third, and they received one first-place vote. This season is shaping up to be very competitive once SLIAC play begins.
Westminster will have to be road warriors this season; they play their first eight games on the road. The season starts September 2nd when they travel to Jacksonville, Illinois to compete in the Illinois College Invitational. The Blue Jays' first game inside the Historic Gym will be on September 13th when they host Stephens College. SLIAC play begins on September 20th when the Blue Jays take on the Principia Panthers. The Jays face a tough non-conference schedule as well as they will take on Washington University in St. Louis, Hanover College, and Wheaton College.
2022 SLIAC Volleyball Preseason Poll (First Place Votes)
Greenville (4) 45 points
Westminster (3) 44 points
Webster (1) 40 points
Fontbonne 31 points
Spalding 25 points
Blackburn 18 points
Eureka 14 points
Principia 7 points
