BAY CITY - The Saginaw Valley State University volleyball team has been picked to finish in third place in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division for the 2015 season.
The Cardinals garnered 35 points to claim the number three slot, nine points behind Grand Valley State with 44 points and three first place votes. Ferris State was picked as the favorite to win the North Division, notching 47 points and five of the eight first place votes. Findlay was tabbed as the GLIAC South Division favorite, earning 44 points and three first place votes.
2015 SVSU Volleyball GLIAC Preview
The Saginaw Valley State University volleyball team looks to improve upon its record of 17-11 overall and 12-6 GLIAC mark it posted during the 2014 season, which resulted in a showing in the 2014 GLIAC Tournament Semifinals.
Despite the loss of the Cardinals' top-two attackers from the 2014 season, SVSU touts a solid group of returners for the upcoming season. Libero Brooke Tiller is just one of two seniors on this year's roster, joining middle hitter Morgan Eddy as the other. Aside from the leadership of those two, SV returns junior setter Kelly Vellucci, who earned Second Team All-GLIAC honors a year ago with 992 helpers. Juniors Kaylee Schmitt and Andrea Brigham, the number three and four attackers from last year, return to lead the front line after posting 157 and 114 kills, respectively. Schmitt was second in 2014 with 59 total blocks as well and earned All-GLIAC Honorable Mention honors.
Saginaw Valley opens play for the 2015 season participating in the Ferris State University Invitational. The Cards will play a pair of matches on September 4th versus Missouri Western and California (Pa.) and another two on September 5th against Wisconsin-Parkside and Mercyhurst.
