INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The McKendree University women's volleyball team was tabbed to finish fourth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) East Division Preseason Coaches' Poll that was released Thursday afternoon by the league office.
 
For the second consecutive season, the GLVC Volleyball regular season will feature three divisions and an 18-game league schedule. The top eight teams at the conclusion of the regular season will earn a berth to the GLVC Volleyball Tournament, which is scheduled for Nov. 19-21 at the EastSide Centre in Peoria, Ill.
 
Nickie Sanlin's 2021 Bearcat team collected eight points in voting conducted by the conference's five East Division teams (Lewis, Southern Indiana, Indianapolis, and Illinois-Springfield). Lewis was selected as the favorite in the East Division as they earned 15 points and three first place votes. Southern Indiana was tabbed second in the East Division as they earned 14 points and two first place votes, while Indianapolis was third with nine points, McKendree was fourth and Illinois-Springfield was picked fifth in the East Division with four points.
 
Meanwhile, in the Central Division, UMSL was tabbed as the favorite as the Tritons earned 16 points and four first place votes, while Lindenwood was selected second with 12 points and one first place. Quincy was tabbed third with 11 points, Truman State was picked fourth with seven points and Maryville was selected fifth with four points.
 
In the West Division, Missouri S&T was picked as the favorite as they received 15 points and three first place votes. Rockhurst was tabbed second with 13 points and two first place votes, while Drury was third with 11 points. William Jewell was picked fourth with six points and Southwest Baptist was fifth with five points.
 
The Bearcats return three starters and 11 letterwinners from last season's team that finished the COVID-19 shortened spring season with a 6-10 overall record with all 16 matches coming in GLVC play.
 
Among the key returners for Sanlin's eighth Bearcat team are sophomore outside/opposite side hitter Colleen Preusser (St. Charles, Mo./Lutheran), sophomore outside hitter Brianna Binder (Littleton, Colo./Dakota Ridge) and junior outside hitter Maddie Misner (Makanda, Ill./Carbondale, Ill.). Preusser led the Bearcats in kills (150), kills per set (2.73) and was second in digs (160), while Binder was second in kills (132), kills per set (2.54) and led in aces with 22 and Misner recorded 91 kills, 13 aces, 138 digs and 21 blocks.
 
McKendree opens its 2021 volleyball season next weekend (Sept. 3-4) as they play four matches in two days in Big Rapids, Mich., at the Ferris State University Invitational. The Bearcats will open the event at Ferris State on Sept. 3 against Davenport University and Winona State at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern time respectively, before facing Saint Leo University and Tiffin University on Sept. 4 at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Eastern time.