University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Athletics

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Click here for an interview with Erin Maenius - East Division Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Click here for a photo gallery from the first practice.

Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor volleyball team has been picked to finish fourth in the American Southwest Conference’s East Division in the league’s annual Preseason Coaches Poll. The Cru totaled 33 points in balloting of East Division coaches and sports information directors. Two-time defending ASC champion U.T.-Dallas is picked to repeat as East Division champs. The Comets totaled 72 points in the poll and finished well ahead of second-place ETBU’s 59 total points. U.T.-Dallas swept all 12 first-place votes. Mississippi College is picked to finish third in East with 40 totals, seven points ahead of the Cru. U.T.-Tyler was picked to finish in fifth place with 28 total points and LeTourneau University totaled 20 points as the pick to finish sixth. Defending ASC West Division champion Hardin-Simmons University was picked to repeat in the West Division with seven first-place votes and 88 total points. The ASC preseason polls are selected in balloting of division head coaches and Sports Information Directors.

            UMHB libero Erin Maenius was voted ASC East Division Preseason Defensive Player of the Year for the third straight year. Maenius, a senior from San Antonio MacArthur High School, posted a league-best 582 digs last season. U.T.-Dallas senior setter Niki Calverley was voted East Division Preseason Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight year. McMurry University senior middle blocker Terah Brown and Hardin-Simmons University senior libero Gracen Harris took West Division Offensive and Defensive Preseason Player of the Year honors respectively.

            The Cru finished 8-25 overall and 5-12 in ASC East Division play last year and narrowly missed claiming a berth in the ASC Championship Tournament. The Cru volleyball team reported to campus today with a group of 20 student-athletes checking in. UMHB returns 10 letter winners and three starters this season. The 2010 Cru volleyball team will hit the practice floor for the first time tomorrow morning. UMHB will open the 2010 season with a tri-match in Georgetown against Southwestern University and Schreiner University on September 1^st. The reporting class of 20 student-athletes is the largest class in Kecia Davis’ five seasons as head coach.