Ricky Nelson’s 2022 preseason top 10

For your consideration. I like preseason polls for two reasons: they signal a new season is near; they get us thinking/talking about a new season.

My rank, (My final 2021 rank, AVCA final 2021 rank), 2021 record, 2021 finish
1 (1,1). Wisconsin-Eau Claire 35-3 Champion.
2 (4,3). Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 31-2 Semifinalist.
3 (2,2). Calvin 32-4 Runner-up.
4 (10,7). Berry 28-3 Quarterfinalist.
5 (9,11). NYU 28-2 Third round.
6 (3,4). Juniata 32-2 Semifinalist.
7 (NR,17). Northwestern 30-4 Second round.
8 (7,5). Trinity (Texas) 34-3 Quarterfinalist.
9 (NR,12). MIT 29-4 Quarterfinalist.
10 (NR,15). Otterbein 25-6 Third round.
Dropped out from my final 2021 poll: No. 5 Wartburg (29-1); No. 6 Johns Hopkins (31-1); No. 8 Hope (25-5).

The AVCA’s 2022 preseason poll comes out next month. D3VbWest also has thoughts on the issue.

-Ricky Nelson

5 from Regions VIII/IX nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year

Five volleyball players from Regions VIII or IX are among 577 total institution nominees for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year award:

Mackenzie Doherty, Edgewood
Emily Finkbeiner, Elmhurst
Krissa Larson, Central
Sydney Pingitore, Lakeland
Sydney Schwitters, Northwestern

The NCAA Woman of the Year recognizes student-athletes for their contributions in athletics, academics and their communities. This initial round of nominees will next be pared down to conference selections (Schwitters already tabbed in UMAC) before being whittled again to a list of 30 and then nine finalists.

-Ricky Nelson