Ricky Nelson’s 2016 preseason top 25

The Road to Oshkosh doesn’t officially begin until September. However, the guesswork starts much earlier. For your scrutinizing pleasure, here is my preseason top 25 followed by another 10 teams that should garner votes in AVCA’s preseason poll, which typically debuts in mid-August.

1. Cal Lutheran 31-5
2. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 27-6
3. Christopher Newport 30-3
4. Juniata 33-3
5. Emory 34-4
6. Calvin 30-4
7. Elmhurst 24-12
8. Wittenberg 29-3
9. Bethel 25-10
10. Illinois Wesleyan 23-10
11. Millikin 23-13
12. Washington-St. Louis 34-3
13. Wisconsin-Whitewater 31-5
14. Ohio Wesleyan 26-6
15. Heidelberg 27-7
16. Eastern 29-8
17. Carthage 35-8
18. Wisconsin-Oshkosh 26-9
19. Hope 24-7
20. Colorado College 34-4
21. Hendrix 29-9
22. Baldwin Wallace 23-7
23. Wisconsin-Stevens Point 27-9
24. Northwestern 26-9
25. Buena Vista 18-16

The next 10 (in alphabetical order): Greenville (24-8); Gustavus Adolphus (27-3); Loras (22-13); MIT (30-4); Ohio Northern (24-6); Stockton (32-5); Southwestern (31-5); Springfield (31-4); Texas Dallas (31-3); Thomas More (26-5).

-Ricky Nelson

Final regional rankings to be released

If you had not heard the news, here’s a glorious paragraph tucked in the NCAA Division III Championships Committee June 2016 meeting report:

Based on sport committee feedback, the committee approved that the final regional advisory committee ranking will be published in conjunction with selections, effective with the 2016-17 championship season. Committee members agreed that the benefits of creating transparency in regional rankings outweigh any concerns about confusion generated by bracket pairings (i.e., that pairings may be determined by geographic proximity of teams versus team strength). The final ranking will be published in conjunction with or soon following the championship selections announcement.

As many of you know, the archives of this blog are lousy with screeds desiring this outcome (one example of the dozens). Thank you to those who collectively allowed logic and transparency to prevail.

If I could interrupt the Championship Committee’s home run trot for a second, I do hope the final published rankings will be accompanied by an updated set of PDF’s. With the stated interest in creating transparency, I’m sure they will.

-Ricky Nelson

 

Predicting Pool A winners: 2016 edition

This is my sixth season predicting each Pool A conference winner. I count it as a success if my predicted champion wins the regular season and/or the tournament. Tell me where I’m wrong with this year’s choices.

Past season predictions:
2011: 31 of 42 (74 percent)
2012: 30 of 42 (71 percent)
2013: 36 of 43 (84 percent)
2014: 33 of 44 (75 percent)
2015: 34 of 44 (77 percent)

Links below are to each conference’s women’s volleyball page.

Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference
2010 regular season champ: Pitt-Bradford
2010 tournament champ: Pitt-Bradford
2011 predicted champion: Penn State Altoona
2011 regular season champ: Penn State Altoona
2011 tournament champ: Penn State Altoona
2012 predicted champion: Medaille
2012 regular season champ: Penn State Behrend
2012 tournament champ: Medaille
2013 predicted champion: Penn State Behrend
2013 regular season champ: Penn State Behrend
2013 tournament champ: Penn State Behrend
2014 predicted champion: Penn State Behrend (4th regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2014 regular season champ: Penn State Altoona
2014 tournament champ: Franciscan
2015 predicted champion: Penn State Altoona
2015 regular season champ: Medaille, Penn State Altoona
2015 tournament champ: Franciscan
2016 predicted champion: Mount Aloysius

American Southwest Conference
2010 regular season champ: Texas Lutheran, Hardin-Simmons (West); Texas Dallas (East)
2010 tournament champ: Hardin-Simmons
2011 predicted champion: Hardin-Simmons (West), Texas-Dallas (East)
2011 regular season champ: McMurry (West), Texas Dallas (East)
2011 tournament champ: Hardin-Simmons
2012 predicted champion: Hardin-Simmons (West), Texas Dallas (East)
2012 regular season champ: Hardin-Simmons (West), Texas Dallas (East)
2012 tournament champ: Hardin-Simmons
2013 predicted champion: Hardin-Simmons
2013 regular season champ: Texas Dallas
2013 tournament champ: Hardin-Simmons
2014 predicted champion: Texas Dallas (3rd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2014 regular season champ: Mary Hardin-Baylor
2014 tournament champ: Mary Hardin-Baylor
2015 predicted champion: Mary Hardin-Baylor
2015 regular season champ: Texas Dallas (East), Mary Hardin-Baylor (West)
2015 tournament champ: Texas Dallas
2016 predicted champion: Texas Dallas (East), Mary Hardin-Baylor (West)

Capital Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Frostburg
2010 tournament champ: Frostburg
2011 predicted champion: Mary Washington (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Salisbury
2011 tournament champ: Salisbury
2012 predicted champion: Salisbury
2012 regular season champ: Salisbury
2012 tournament champ: Salisbury
2013 predicted champion: Christopher Newport
2013 regular season champ: Christopher Newport
2013 tournament champ: Christopher Newport
2014 predicted champion: Christopher Newport
2014 regular season champ: Christopher Newport
2014 tournament champ: Christopher Newport
2015 predicted champion: Christopher Newport
2015 regular season champ: Christopher Newport
2015 tournament champ: Christopher Newport
2016 predicted champion: Christopher Newport

Centennial Conference
2010 regular season champ: Haverford
2010 tournament champ: Franklin & Marshall
2011 predicted champion: Johns Hopkins
2011 regular season champ: Johns Hopkins
2011 tournament champ: Johns Hopkins
2012 predicted champion: Franklin & Marshall
2012 regular season champ: Franklin & Marshall, Johns Hopkins
2012 tournament champ: Johns Hopkins
2013 predicted champion: Johns Hopkins
2013 regular season champ: Franklin & Marshall
2013 tournament champ: Johns Hopkins
2014 predicted champion: Franklin & Marshall
2014 regular season champ: Haverford, Swarthmore
2014 tournament champ: Franklin & Marshall
2015 predicted champion: Haverford
2015 regular season champ: Haverford, Johns Hopkins, Swarthmore
2015 tournament champ: McDaniel
2016 predicted champion: Swarthmore

City University of New York Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Hunter
2010 tournament champ: Hunter
2011 predicted champion: Hunter
2011 regular season champ: Hunter
2011 tournament champ: Baruch
2012 predicted champion: Baruch
2012 regular season champ: Baruch
2012 tournament champ: Baruch
2013 predicted champion: Baruch
2013 regular season champ: Baruch
2013 tournament champ: Baruch
2014 predicted champion: Baruch (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2014 regular season champ: Hunter
2014 tournament champ: Hunter
2015 predicted champion: Baruch
2015 regular season champ: Baruch
2015 tournament champ: Hunter
2016 predicted champion: Hunter

College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
2010 regular season champ: Millikin
2010 tournament champ: Carthage
2011 predicted champion: Carthage
2011 regular season champ: Carthage
2011 tournament champ: Carthage
2012 predicted champion: Elmhurst
2012 regular season champ: Elmhurst
2012 tournament champ: Elmhurst
2013 predicted champion: Elmhurst
2013 regular season champ: Elmhurst
2013 tournament champ: Elmhurst
2014 predicted champion: Millikin (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2014 regular season champ: Carthage
2014 tournament champ: Carthage
2015 predicted champion: Carthage
2015 regular season champ: Carthage, Illinois Wesleyan, Millikin
2015 tournament champ: Carthage
2016 predicted champion: Elmhurst

Colonial States Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Cabrini
2010 tournament champ: Cabrini
2011 predicted champion: Neumann (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Cabrini
2011 tournament champ: Cabrini
2012 predicted champion: Cabrini (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Neumann
2012 tournament champ: Neumann
2013 predicted champion: Cabrini
2013 regular season champ: Cabrini
2013 tournament champ: Cabrini
2014 predicted champion: Cabrini
2014 regular season champ: Cabrini
2014 tournament champ: Cabrini
2015 predicted champion: Cabrini
2015 regular season champ: Cabrini
2015 tournament champ: Cabrini
2016 predicted champion: Cabrini

Commonwealth Coast Conference
2010 regular season champ: Roger Williams
2010 tournament champ: Roger Williams
2011 predicted champion: Roger Williams
2011 regular season champ: Roger Williams
2011 tournament champ: Roger Williams
2012 predicted champion: Roger Williams
2012 regular season champ: Roger Williams
2012 tournament champ: Roger Williams
2013 predicted champion: Roger Williams
2013 regular season champ: Roger Williams, Salve Regina
2013 tournament champ: Roger Williams
2014 predicted champion: Salve Regina (3rd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2014 regular season champ: Roger Williams
2014 tournament champ: Roger Williams
2015 predicted champion: Roger Williams
2015 regular season champ: Roger Williams
2015 tournament champ: Roger Williams
2016 predicted champion: Roger Williams

Commonwealth Conference
2010 regular season champ: Elizabethtown
2010 tournament champ: Lebanon Valley
2011 predicted champion: Elizabethtown (5th in regular season, DNP in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Messiah
2011 tournament champ: Lebanon Valley
2012 predicted champion: Messiah (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Stevenson
2012 tournament champ: Stevenson
2013 predicted champion: Stevenson
2013 regular season champ: Stevenson
2013 tournament champ: Stevenson
2014 predicted champion: Stevenson
2014 regular season champ: Stevenson
2014 tournament champ: Stevenson
2015 predicted champion: Messiah (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2015 regular season champ: Stevenson
2015 tournament champ: Stevenson
2016 predicted champion: Messiah

Empire 8
2010 regular season champ: Ithaca
2010 tournament champ: Ithaca
2011 predicted champion: Ithaca (5th in regular season, DNP in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Elmira
2011 tournament champ: Nazareth
2012 predicted champion: Elmira
2012 regular season champ: Elmira, Stevens
2012 tournament champ: Nazareth
2013 predicted champion: Stevens
2013 regular season champ: Stevens
2013 tournament champ: Nazareth
2014 predicted champion: Nazareth (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2014 regular season champ: Stevens
2014 tournament champ: Stevens
2015 predicted champion: Stevens
2015 regular season champ: Stevens
2015 tournament champ: Ithaca
2016 predicted champion: Ithaca

Freedom Conference
2010 regular season champ: Eastern
2010 tournament champ: Eastern
2011 predicted champion: Eastern
2011 regular season champ: Eastern
2011 tournament champ: Eastern
2012 predicted champion: Eastern
2012 regular season champ: Eastern
2012 tournament champ: Eastern
2013 predicted champion: Eastern
2013 regular season champ: Eastern
2013 tournament champ: Eastern
2014 predicted champion: Eastern
2014 regular season champ: Eastern
2014 tournament champ: Eastern
2015 predicted champion: Eastern
2015 regular season champ: Eastern
2015 tournament champ: Eastern
2016 predicted champion: Eastern

Great Northeast Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Johnson & Wales
2010 tournament champ: Johnson & Wales
2011 predicted champion: Rivier
2011 regular season champ: Emerson
2011 tournament champ: Rivier
2012 predicted champion: Rivier
2012 regular season champ: Rivier
2012 tournament champ: Emerson
2013 predicted champion: Rivier
2013 regular season champ: Rivier
2013 tournament champ: Rivier
2014 predicted champion: Rivier
2014 regular season champ: Emmanuel, Rivier
2014 tournament champ: Rivier
2015 predicted champion: Rivier
2015 regular season champ: Rivier
2015 tournament champ: Johnson & Wales
2016 predicted champion: Rivier

Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Transylvania
2010 tournament champ: Mount St. Joseph
2011 predicted champion: Transylvania
2011 regular season champ: Rose-Hulman, Bluffton, Hanover, Transylvania, Mount St. Joseph
2011 tournament champ: Rose-Hulman
2012 predicted champion: Hanover (5th in regular season, 5th in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Mount St. Joseph, Transylvania
2012 tournament champ: Mount St. Joseph
2013 predicted champion: Transylvania (2nd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2013 regular season champ: Defiance
2013 tournament champ: Bluffton
2014 predicted champion: Bluffton
2014 regular season champ: Defiance
2014 tournament champ: Bluffton
2015 predicted champion: Bluffton
2015 regular season champ: Hanover
2015 tournament champ: Bluffton
2016 predicted champion: Hanover

Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Loras
2010 tournament champ: Wartburg
2011 predicted champion: Wartburg (2nd in regular season, 3rd in tourament)
2011 regular season champ: Coe
2011 tournament champ: Cornell
2012 predicted champion: Wartburg
2012 regular season champ: Wartburg
2012 tournament champ: Wartburg
2013 predicted champion: Wartburg
2013 regular season champ: Wartburg
2013 tournament champ: Wartburg
2014 predicted champion: Coe
2014 regular season champ: Coe
2014 tournament champ: Coe
2015 predicted champion: Buena Vista (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2015 regular season champ: Wartburg
2015 tournament champ: Wartburg
2016 predicted champion: Buena Vista

Landmark Conference
2010 regular season champ: Juniata
2010 tournament champ: Juniata
2011 predicted champion: Juniata
2011 regular season champ: Juniata
2011 tournament champ: Juniata
2012 predicted champion: Juniata
2012 regular season champ: Juniata
2012 tournament champ: Juniata
2013 predicted champion: Juniata
2013 regular season champ: Juniata
2013 tournament champ: Juniata
2014 predicted champion: Juniata
2014 regular season champ: Juniata
2014 tournament champ: Juniata
2015 predicted champion: Juniata
2015 regular season champ: Juniata
2015 tournament champ: Juniata
2016 predicted champion: Juniata

Liberty League
2012 regular season champ: Skidmore
2012 tourney champ: Clarkson
2013 predicted champ: Clarkson
2013 regular season champ: Clarkson
2013 tournament champ: Clarkson
2014 predicted champion: Clarkson
2014 regular season champ: Clarkson
2014 tournament champ: Clarkson
2015 predicted champion: Clarkson
2015 regular season champ: Clarkson
2015 tournament champ: Clarkson
2016 predicted champion: Clarkson

Little East Conference
2010 regular season champ: UMass Boston
2010 tournament champ: UMass Boston
2011 predicted champion: UMass Boston
2011 regular season champ: Plymouth State, UMass Boston
2011 tournament champ: UMass Boston
2012 predicted champion: UMass Boston
2012 regular season champ: UMass Boston, Western Connecticut State
2012 tournament champ: UMass Boston
2013 predicted champion: Western Connecticut State (4th in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2013 regular season champ: UMass Boston
2013 tournament champ: UMass Boston
2014 predicted champion: UMass Boston
2014 regular season champ: UMass Boston
2014 tournament champ: Western Connecticut State
2015 predicted champion: UMass Boston
2015 regular season champ: Keene State, UMass Boston
2015 tournament champ: UMass Boston
2016 predicted champion: UMass Boston

Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Westfield State
2010 tournament champ: Westfield State
2011 predicted champion: Westfield State
2011 regular season champ: Westfield State
2011 tournament champ: Westfield State
2012 predicted champion: Framingham State
2012 regular season champ: Framingham State
2012 tournament champ: Framingham State
2013 predicted champion: Framingham State (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2013 regular season champ: Westfield State
2013 tournament champ: Westfield State
2014 predicted champion: Framingham State
2014 regular season champ: Framingham State
2014 tournament champ: Framingham State
2015 predicted champion: Framingham State
2015 regular season champ: Framingham State, MCLA
2015 tournament champ: Framingham State
2016 predicted champion: Framingham State

Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
2010 regular season champ: Hope
2010 tournament champ: Hope
2011 predicted champion: Calvin
2011 regular season champ: Calvin
2011 tournament champ: Calvin
2012 predicted champion: Hope (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Calvin
2012 tournament champ: Calvin
2013 predicted champion: Calvin
2013 regular season champ: Calvin, Hope
2013 tournament champ: Calvin
2014 predicted champion: Hope
2014 regular season champ: Calvin, Hope
2014 tournament champ: Calvin
2015 predicted champion: Calvin
2015 regular season champ: Calvin
2015 tournament champ: Calvin
2016 predicted champion: Calvin

Midwest Conference
2010 regular season champ: Monmouth
2010 tournament champ: Beloit
2011 predicted champion: St. Norbert
2011 regular season champ: St. Norbert
2011 tournament champ: St. Norbert
2012 predicted champion: St. Norbert (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Cornell
2012 tournament champ: Cornell
2013 predicted champion: Cornell
2013 regular season champ: Cornell
2013 tournament champ: Cornell
2014 predicted champion: Cornell
2014 regular season champ: Cornell
2014 tournament champ: Cornell
2015 predicted champion: Cornell
2015 regular season champ: Cornell, Ripon
2015 tournament champ: Cornell
2016 predicted champion: Cornell

Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: St. Olaf
2010 tournament champ: St. Olaf
2011 predicted champion: Concordia-Moorhead
2011 regular season champ: Concordia-Moorhead, St. Thomas
2011 tournament champ: Concordia-Moorhead
2012 predicted champion: St. Thomas
2012 regular season champ: St. Thomas
2012 tournament champ: St. Thomas
2013 predicted champion: St. Thomas
2013 regular season champ: St. Thomas, Augsburg
2013 tournament champ: St. Thomas
2014 predicted champion: St. Thomas
2014 regular season champ: Augsburg, St. Thomas
2014 tournament champ: St. Thomas
2015 predicted champion: Augsburg (6th in regular season, DNP in tournament)
2015 regular season champ: Gustavus Adolphus
2015 tournament champ: Gustavus Adolphus
2016 predicted champion: Bethel

New England Collegiate Conference
2010 regular season champ: Daniel Webster
2010 tournament champ: Lesley
2011 predicted champion: Daniel Webster (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Southern Vermont
2011 tournament champ: Southern Vermont
2012 predicted champion: Southern Vermont
2012 regular season champ: Southern Vermont
2012 tournament champ: Southern Vermont
2013 predicted champion: Southern Vermont
2013 regular season champ: Southern Vermont
2013 tournament champ: Southern Vermont
2014 predicted champion: Newbury (3rd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2014 regular season champ: Regis
2014 tournament champ: Regis
2015 predicted champion: Regis
2015 regular season champ: Regis
2015 tournament champ: Regis
2016 predicted champion: Regis

New England Small College Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Amherst
2010 tournament champ: Middlebury
2011 predicted champion: Amherst (4th in regular season, 5th in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Bowdoin
2011 tournament champ: Bowdoin
2012 predicted champion: Tufts (6th in regular season, 5th in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Connecticut College, Middlebury, Bowdoin
2012 tournament champ: Middlebury
2013 predicted champion: Bowdoin (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2013 regular season champ: Williams
2013 tournament champ: Williams
2014 predicted champion: Williams
2014 regular season champ: Tufts
2014 tournament champ: Williams
2015 predicted champion: Williams (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2015 regular season champ: Bowdoin
2015 tournament champ: Bowdoin
2016 predicted champion: Middlebury

New England Women’s and Men’s Athletics Conference
2010 regular season champ: Springfield
2010 tournament champ: Coast Guard
2011 predicted champion: Coast Guard
2011 regular season champ: Springfield, Coast Guard
2011 tournament champ: Springfield
2012 predicted champion: Coast Guard (4th in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Wellesley
2012 tournament champ: MIT
2013 predicted champion: Wellesley
2013 regular season champ: Springfield, Wellesley
2013 tournament champ: Springfield
2014 predicted champion: Springfield (3rd in regular season, 5th in tournament)
2014 regular season champ: Babson, MIT
2014 tournament champ: Babson
2015 predicted champion: Babson
2015 regular season champ: MIT, Springfield
2015 tournament champ: Babson
2016 predicted champion: MIT

New Jersey Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Richard Stockton
2010 tournament champ: Richard Stockton
2011 predicted champion: Richard Stockton
2011 regular season champ: Richard Stockton
2011 tournament champ: Richard Stockton
2012 predicted champion: Richard Stockton
2012 regular season champ: Richard Stockton
2012 tournament champ: Richard Stockton
2013 predicted champion: Richard Stockton
2013 regular season champ: Richard Stockton
2013 tournament champ: Richard Stockton
2014 predicted champion: Richard Stockton
2014 regular season champ: Richard Stockton
2014 tournament champ: Richard Stockton
2015 predicted champion: Stockton
2015 regular season champ: Stockton
2015 tournament champ: Stockton
2016 predicted champion: Stockton

North Atlantic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Maine Maritime
2010 tournament champ: Maine Maritime
2011 predicted champion: Maine Maritime (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Colby-Sawyer
2011 tournament champ: Colby-Sawyer
2012 predicted champion: Maine Maritime (3rd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Colby-Sawyer
2012 tournament champ: Colby-Sawyer
2013 predicted champion: Colby-Sawyer
2013 regular season champ: Colby-Sawyer
2013 tournament champ: Colby-Sawyer
2014 predicted champion: Colby-Sawyer
2014 regular season champ: Colby-Sawyer
2014 tournament champ: Colby-Sawyer
2015 predicted champion: Colby-Sawyer
2015 regular season champ: Colby-Sawyer
2015 tournament champ: Colby-Sawyer
2016 predicted champion: Maine Maritime

North Coast Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Wittenberg
2010 tournament champ: Wittenberg
2011 predicted champion: Wittenberg
2011 regular season champ: Wittenberg
2011 tournament champ: Wittenberg
2012 predicted champion: Wittenberg
2012 regular season champ: Wittenberg
2012 tournament champ: Wittenberg
2013 predicted champion: Wittenberg
2013 regular season champ: Wittenberg
2013 tournament champ: Wittenberg
2014 predicted champion: Wittenberg
2014 regular season champ: Wittenberg
2014 tournament champ: Wittenberg
2015 predicted champion: Wittenberg
2015 regular season champ: Wittenberg
2015 tournament champ: Wittenberg
2016 predicted champion: Wittenberg

North Eastern Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Keuka (North), Gallaudet (South)
2010 tournament champ: Gallaudet
2011 predicted champion: Gallaudet
2011 regular season champ: Penn State Berks
2011 tournament champ: Gallaudet
2012 predicted champion: Gallaudet
2012 regular season champ: Gallaudet
2012 tournament champ: Gallaudet
2013 predicted champion: Gallaudet
2013 regular season champ: Gallaudet, SUNYIT, Keuka
2013 tournament champ: Gallaudet
2014 predicted champion: Gallaudet
2014 regular season champ: Gallaudet
2014 tournament champ: Gallaudet
2015 predicted champion: Gallaudet
2015 regular season champ: SUNY Poly, Wells
2015 tournament champ: Gallaudet
2016 predicted champion: SUNY Poly

Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
2010 regular season champ: Concordia (Wis.)
2010 tournament champ: Dominican
2011 predicted champion: Edgewood
2011 regular season champ: Dominican
2011 tournament champ: Edgewood
2012 predicted champion: Dominican (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Edgewood, Benedictine
2012 tournament champ: Benedictine
2013 predicted champion: Benedictine (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2013 regular season champ: Edgewood
2013 tournament champ: Dominican
2014 predicted champion: Dominican
2014 regular season champ: Dominican
2014 tournament champ: Dominican
2015 predicted champion: Dominican
2015 regular season champ: Edgewood
2015 tournament champ: Dominican
2016 predicted champion: Concordia Wisconsin

Northwest Conference (no tourney)
2010 regular season champ: Whitworth
2011 predicted champion: Whitworth
2011 regular season champ: Whitworth
2012 predicted champion: Pacific Lutheran
2012 regular season champ: Pacific Lutheran
2013 predicted champion: Puget Sound (2nd in regular season)
2013 regular season champ: Pacific Lutheran
2014 predicted champion: Pacific Lutheran
2014 regular season champ: Pacific Lutheran, Whitworth
2015 predicted champion: Whitworth
2015 regular season champ: Whitworth
2016 predicted champion: Whitworth

Ohio Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Heidelberg
2010 tournament champ: Heidelberg
2011 predicted champion: Heidelberg
2011 regular season champ: Heidelberg
2011 tournament champ: Mount Union
2012 predicted champion: Heidelberg (4th in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Mount Union
2012 tournament champ: Otterbein
2013 predicted champion: Mount Union
2013 regular season champ: Mount Union, Heidelberg
2013 tournament champ: Mount Union
2014 predicted champion: Mount Union
2014 regular season champ: Mount Union
2014 tournament champ: Mount Union
2015 predicted champion: John Carroll (5th in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2015 regular season champ: Heidelberg
2015 tournament champ: Heidelberg
2016 predicted champion: Heidelberg

Old Dominion Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Washington and Lee
2010 tournament champ: Randolph-Macon
2011 predicted champion: Washington and Lee
2011 regular season champ: Washington and Lee
2011 tournament champ: Randolph-Macon
2012 predicted champion: Randolph-Macon
2012 regular season champ: Randolph-Macon
2012 tournament champ: Washington and Lee
2013 predicted champion: Washington and Lee
2013 regular season champ: Washington and Lee, Randolph-Macon
2013 tournament champ: Washington and Lee
2014 predicted champion: Randolph-Macon
2014 regular season champ: Randolph-Macon
2014 tournament champ: Washington and Lee
2015 predicted champion: Randolph-Macon
2015 regular season champ: Randolph-Macon
2015 tournament champ: Randolph-Macon
2016 predicted champion: Washington and Lee

Presidents’ Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Thomas More
2010 tournament champ: Thomas More
2011 predicted champion: Thomas More (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Geneva
2011 tournament champ: Geneva
2012 predicted champion: Geneva (4th in regular season, 5th in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Thomas More
2012 tournament champ: Thomas More
2013 predicted champion: Thomas More
2013 regular season champ: Bethany
2013 tournament champ: Thomas More
2014 predicted champion: Bethany
2014 regular season champ: Bethany, Thomas More
2014 tournament champ: Thomas More
2015 predicted champion: Bethany (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2015 regular season champ: Thomas More
2015 tournament champ: Thomas More
2016 predicted champion: Thomas More

Skyline Conference
2010 regular season champ: Mount Saint Mary
2010 tournament champ: NYU-Poly
2011 predicted champion: Mount Saint Mary
2011 regular season champ: Mount Saint Mary
2011 tournament champ: NYU-Poly
2012 predicted champion: Mount Saint Mary
2012 regular season champ: Mount Saint Mary
2012 tournament champ: Mount Saint Mary
2013 predicted champion: Sage
2013 regular season champ: Sage
2013 tournament champ: St. Joseph’s (Long Island)
2014 predicted champion: Sage
2014 regular season champ: Sage
2014 tournament champ: Sage
2015 predicted champion: St. Joseph’s (Long Island) (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2015 regular season champ: Mount Saint Vincent, Sage
2015 tournament champ: Mount Saint Vincent
2016 predicted champion: Sage

Southern Athletic Association
2013 regular season champion: Berry
2013 tournament champion: Berry
2014 predicted champion: Berry (4th in regular season, 5th in tournament)
2014 regular season champ: Hendrix
2014 tournament champ: Hendrix
2015 predicted champion: Hendrix
2015 regular season champ: Hendrix
2015 tournament champ: Hendrix
2016 predicted champion: Hendrix

Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran
2010 tournament champ: Cal Lutheran
2011 predicted champion: Occidental
2011 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran
2011 tournament champ: Occidental
2012 predicted champion: Cal Lutheran
2012 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran
2012 tournament champ: Cal Lutheran
2013 predicted champion: Cal Lutheran
2013 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran
2013 tournament champ: Cal Lutheran
2014 predicted champion: Pomona-Pitzer (4th in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2014 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran
2014 tournament champ: Cal Lutheran
2015 predicted champion: Cal Lutheran
2015 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
2015 tournament champ: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
2016 predicted champion: Cal Lutheran

Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Colorado College
2010 tournament champ: Colorado College
2011 predicted champion: Southwestern
2011 regular season champ: Southwestern
2011 tournament champ: Colorado College
2012 predicted champion: Colorado College
2012 regular season champ: Colorado College, Trinity (Texas)
2012 tournament champ: Colorado College
2013 predicted champion: Trinity (Texas)
2013 regular season champ: Trinity (Texas)
2013 tournament champ: Trinity (Texas)
2014 predicted champion: Trinity (Texas)
2014 regular season champ: Trinity (Texas)
2014 tournament champ: Trinity (Texas)
2015 predicted champion: Colorado College
2015 regular season champ: Colorado College
2015 tournament champ: Southwestern
2016 predicted champion: Colorado College

St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Greenville
2010 tournament champ: Greenville
2011 predicted champion: Greenville
2011 regular season champ: Webster, Greenville
2011 tournament champ: Webster
2012 predicted champion: Greenville
2012 regular season champ: Greenville, Webster
2012 tournament champ: Webster
2013 predicted champion: Webster
2013 regular season champ: Greenville
2013 tournament champ: Webster
2014 predicted champion: Webster
2014 regular season champ: Greenville
2014 tournament champ: Webster
2015 predicted champion: Westminster (Mo.) (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2015 regular season champ: Greenville
2015 tournament champ: Greenville
2016 predicted champion: Greenville

State University of New York Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Cortland (East), Fredonia (West)
2010 tournament champ: Cortland
2011 predicted champion: Cortland (East), Fredonia (West)
2011 regular season champ: Cortland (East), Fredonia (West)
2011 tournament champ: Cortland
2012 predicted champion: Cortland (East), Fredonia (West)
2012 regular season champ: Cortland (East), Buffalo State (West)
2012 tournament champ: Cortland
2013 predicted champions: New Paltz State
2013 regular season champ: New Paltz State
2013 tournament champ: Buffalo State
2014 predicted champion: New Paltz State
2014 regular season champ: New Paltz State
2014 tournament champ: New Paltz State
2015 predicted champion: SUNY New Paltz (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2015 regular season champ: Brockport
2015 tournament champ: Brockport
2016 predicted champion: Brockport

University Athletic Association
2010 regular season champ: Emory
2010 tournament champ: Emory
2011 predicted champion: Emory
2011 regular season champ: Emory
2011 tournament champ: Washington-St. Louis
2012 predicted champion: Washington-St. Louis
2012 regular season champ: Emory, Chicago, Washington-St. Louis
2012 tournament champ: Emory
2013 predicted champion: Washington-St. Louis
2013 regular season champ: Chicago, Washington-St. Louis
2013 tournament champ: Chicago
2014 predicted champion: Emory
2014 regular season champ: Emory, Washington-St. Louis
2014 tournament champ: Emory
2015 predicted champion: Emory
2015 regular season champ: Emory
2015 tournament champ: Washington-St. Louis
2016 predicted champion: Emory

Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: St. Scholastica
2010 tournament champ: Northwestern
2011 predicted champion: St. Scholastica
2011 regular season champ: St. Scholastica, Northwestern
2011 tournament champ: St. Scholastica
2012 predicted champion: St. Scholastica (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Northwestern
2012 tournament champ: Northwestern
2013 predicted champion: Northwestern
2013 regular season champ: Northwestern, Minnesota Morris
2013 tournament champ: Northwestern
2014 predicted champion: Northwestern
2014 regular season champ: Northwestern
2014 tournament champ: Northwestern
2015 predicted champion: Northwestern
2015 regular season champ: Northwestern
2015 tournament champ: Northwestern
2016 predicted champion: Northwestern

USA South Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Christopher Newport
2010 tournament champ: Christopher Newport
2011 predicted champion: Christopher Newport
2011 regular season champ: Christopher Newport
2011 tournament champ: Christopher Newport
2012 predicted champion: Christopher Newport
2012 regular season champ: Christopher Newport
2012 tournament champ: Christopher Newport
2013 predicted champions: Averett (North); Maryville (South)
2013 regular season champ: Averett (North); Maryville (South)
2013 tournament champ: Maryville
2014 predicted champion: Averett (North); Maryville (South)
2014 regular season champ: Meredith (North); Maryville (South)
2014 tournament champ: Maryville
2015 predicted champion: Averett (North); Maryville (South)
2015 regular season champ: Averett (North); Covenant (South)
2015 tournament champ: Covenant
2016 predicted champion: Averett (North), Covenant (South)

Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Wisconsin-Eau Claire
2010 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Platteville
2011 predicted champion: Wisconsin-Platteville (4th in regular season, 4th in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: UW-Stevens Point, UW-Whitewater, UW-Eau Claire
2011 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Whitewater
2012 predicted champion: Wisconsin-Stevens Point
2012 regular season champ: Wisconsin-Stevens Point
2012 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Eau Claire
2013 predicted champion: Wisconsin-Whitewater (3rd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2013 regular season champ: Wisconsin-Stevens Point
2013 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Stevens Point
2014 predicted champion: Wisconsin-Whitewater
2014 regular season champ: Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Wisconsin-Whitewater
2014 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Stevens Point
2015 predicted champion: Wisconsin-Stevens Point (4th in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2015 regular season champ: Wisconsin-La Crosse, Wisconsin-Oshkosh
2015 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Whitewater
2016 predicted champion: Wisconsin-Whitewater

-Ricky Nelson

UMM names head coach, NCAA Woman of the Year nominees announced

News from June:
• Lauren Torvi was announced as the new head coach at Minnesota Morris. She was most recently an assistant coach at Colorado College.

• The NCAA named 517 contenders for the 2016 Woman of the Year award. The list will be pared down to 30 (10 in each division) in August and nine finalists (three in each division) will be declared in September before one winner is named in October. Among the nominees were several Central/Midwest Region volleyball players: Karen Chin, Carthage; Macki Fadness, Saint Mary’s (Minn.); Mary Franz, Saint Benedict; Maren Loe, Chicago; Alyssa Taylor, Gustavus Adolphus; Allison Zastrow, Washington (Mo.).

This pool of school honorees marks the largest in the 26-year history of the award. Of the nominees for the national award, 231 competed in Division I, 117 competed in Division II and 169 competed in Division III athletics.

The NCAA encourages member schools to honor their top graduating female student-athletes each year by submitting their names for consideration for the Woman of the Year award.

Next, conferences assess their member school nominees and select up to two conference nominees.

-Ricky Nelson