Ricky Nelson’s 2017 preseason top 25

For your scrutinizing pleasure, here is my preseason top 25 followed by another 15 teams that should garner votes in AVCA’s preseason poll, which typically debuts in mid-August.

1. Calvin
2. Wittenberg
3. Northwestern
4. Emory
5. Washington (Mo.)
6. Gustavus Adolphus
7. Chicago
8. Illinois Wesleyan
9. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
10. Trinity (Texas)
11. Wisconsin-Whitewater
12. Hope
13. Millikin
14. Cal Lutheran
15. Colorado College
16. Texas Dallas
17. Randolph-Macon
18. Ithaca
19. Wisconsin-Eau Claire
20. Mary Washington
21. Wisconsin-La Crosse
22. Augsburg
23. Southwestern
24. Wisconsin-Oshkosh
25. Luther
The next 15: Birmingham-Southern; Carthage; Christopher Newport; Eastern; Hendrix; Johns Hopkins; Johnson & Wales; Juniata; Ohio Northern; St. Thomas; Stevens; Stevenson; Swarthmore; Tufts; Wartburg.

-Ricky Nelson

Ellmann named acting head coach at UWO

Jon Ellmann was elevated to “acting head coach” at Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Ellmann most most recently an assistant at UWO.

-Ricky Nelson

Predicting Pool A conferences: 2017 edition

This is my seventh 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)
2016: 29 of 43 (67 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 (9th in regular season, DNP in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Pitt Bradford
2016 tournament champ: Pitt Bradford
2017 predicted champion: Pitt Bradford

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)
2016 regular season champ: Texas Dallas (East), Mary Hardin-Baylor (West)
2016 tournament champ: Texas Dallas
2017 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 (3rd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Mary Washington, Salisbury
2016 tournament champ: Mary Washington
2017 predicted champion: Mary Washington

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 (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Johns Hopkins
2016 tournament champ: Johns Hopkins
2017 predicted champion: Johns Hopkins

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
2016 regular season champ: Hunter
2016 tournament champ: Hunter
2017 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 (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Millikin
2016 tournament champ: Millikin
2017 predicted champion: Illinois Wesleyan

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
2016 regular season champ: Cabrini
2016 tournament champ: Cabrini
2017 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 (2nd in regular season, 5th in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Endicott
2016 tournament champ: Endicott
2017 predicted champion: Endicott

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 (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Stevenson
2016 tournament champ: Stevenson
2017 predicted champion: Stevenson

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
2016 regular season champ: Stevens
2016 tournament champ: Ithaca
2017 predicted champion: Stevens

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
2016 regular season champ: Eastern
2016 tournament champ: Eastern
2017 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 (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Johnson & Wales
2016 tournament champ: Johnson & Wales
2017 predicted champion: Johnson & Wales

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
2016 regular season champ: Hanover
2016 tournament champ: Bluffton
2017 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 (5th in regular season, 5th in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Wartburg
2016 tournament champ: Wartburg
2017 predicted champion: Luther

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
2016 regular season champ: Juniata
2016 tournament champ: Juniata
2017 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
2016 regular season champ: Clarkson, Vassar
2016 tournament champ: Clarkson
2017 predicted champion: Ithaca

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
2016 regular season champ: UMass Boston
2016 tournament champ: UMass Boston
2017 predicted champion: Plymouth State

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
2016 regular season champ: Framingham State
2016 tournament champ: Framingham State
2017 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
2016 regular season champ: Calvin
2016 tournament champ: Hope
2017 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
2016 regular season champ: Cornell
2016 tournament champ: St. Norbert
2017 predicted champion: St. Norbert

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 (5th in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Augsburg
2016 tournament champ: Gustavus Adolphus
2017 predicted champion: Gustavus Adolphus

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
2016 regular season champ: Daniel Webster, Newbury, Regis
2016 tournament champ: Regis
2017 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
2016 regular season champ: Tufts
2016 tournament champ: Middlebury
2017 predicted champion: Tufts

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
2016 regular season champ: MIT
2016 tournament champ: MIT
2017 predicted champion: Clark

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 (2nd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Ramapo
2016 tournament champ: Montclair State
2017 predicted champion: Montclair State

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
2016 regular season champ: Maine Maritime
2016 tournament champ: Maine Maritime
2017 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
2016 regular season champ: Wittenberg
2016 tournament champ: Wittenberg
2017 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
2016 regular season champ: SUNY Poly
2016 tournament champ: Gallaudet
2017 predicted champion: Gallaudet

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
2016 regular season champ: Concordia Wisconsin
2016 tournament champ: Concordia Wisconsin
2017 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
2016 regular season champ: Whitworth
2017 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 (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Ohio Northern
2016 tournament champ: Ohio Northern
2017 predicted champion: Ohio Northern

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 (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Randolph-Macon
2016 tournament champ: Randolph-Macon
2017 predicted champion: Randolph-Macon

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
2016 regular season champ: Bethany, Thomas More
2016 tournament champ: Bethany
2017 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 (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Farmingdale State, Merchant Marine
2016 tournament champ: Farmingdale State
2017 predicted champion: Farmingdale State

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
2016 regular season champ: Hendrix
2016 tournament champ: Hendrix
2017 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
2016 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
2016 tournament champ: Cal Lutheran
2017 predicted champion: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

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 (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2016 regular season champ: Trinity (Texas)
2016 tournament champ: Trinity (Texas)
2017 predicted champion: Trinity (Texas)

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
2016 regular season champ: Greenville
2016 tournament champ: Greenville
2017 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
2016 regular season champ: Brockport
2016 tournament champ: Brockport
2017 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
2016 regular season champ: Chicago
2016 tournament champ: Emory
2017 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
2016 regular season champ: Northwestern
2016 tournament champ: Northwestern
2017 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 (East), Covenant (West)
2016 regular season champ: Averett (East), Covenant (West)
2016 tournament champ: Meredith
2017 predicted champion: Averett (East), Covenant (West)

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
2016 regular season champ: Wisconsin-La Crosse, Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Wisconsin-Whitewater
2016 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Whitewater
2017 predicted champion: Wisconsin-Whitewater

-Ricky Nelson

Volleyball committee recommends changes

This is old news, but the volleyball committee recommended and announced changes to the regional rankings and selection criteria at the annual meeting in January. Notable nuggets from the report:

• Recommended ranking 15-21 percent of teams in the eight regions, with a maximum of 10 teams (The committee would prefer to rank eight teams in each region).
• Recommended seeding the final eight teams.
• Announced bid allocations as 43 Pool A, 1 Pool B, 20 Pool C (same as last season).
• Announced nonconference strength of schedule will be added to the secondary criteria beginning this season.
• Announced results versus regionally ranked opponents will include teams ranked in both the final ranking and the preceding ranking beginning this season.
• Recommended creating a pronunciation guide for the online selection show announcers [my favorite recommendation].

I think the proposed and announced changes are positive ones. See the link above for several other agenda items.

-Ricky Nelson

New head coach at Hamline

Maggie Meixl is the “acting head coach” at Hamline, according to the Pipers’ website. Meixl was most recently an assistant at Hamline.

-Ricky Nelson

Thank you

This graphics-free NCAA Division III women’s volleyball blog has been honored by being named a finalist for the 2016-17 Grant Burger Media Award by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Being a finalist of the AVCA’s Grant Burger Media Award for the Web means someone really awesome nominated this graphics-free NCAA Division III women’s volleyball blog once again. It also means someone really awesome chose to recognize this no-frills blog from among the list of nominees. I am truly thankful.

From the AVCA website:

The AVCA Grant Burger Media Award is an honor intended to recognize members of the media who have been involved in the advancement of the sport of volleyball, whether it be through consistent coverage in all mediums (sports information, print, broadcasting, web content, college student reporter and social media), production of volleyball-specific publications or extensive radio and/or television exposure. It is named in honor of Grant Burger, former Director of Sports Information and Associate Director of the AVCA (1988-92), whose hard work, innovative mind, knowledge and enthusiasm took the areas of media relations and publications at the AVCA to a higher level and increased awareness of the sport of volleyball nationwide.

As it says in the About Me Page, this blog started as an element of a larger journalism class project in 2007. My project partner and I received a fine grade for our efforts, but an award from the AVCA? That was not something I thought possible even yesterday.

I get great feedback about this blog — positive and negative — because the NCAA Division III women’s volleyball community is engaged and passionate. The tone of the blog has changed somewhat due to my desire for gainful employment, which, perhaps ironically, has curbed the breadth of my volleyball viewing over the past few years. I, too, sometimes miss the version of the blog that had hot takes and verbose recaps. The current iteration of this blog is essentially a picture-free newspaper containing concise facts with the occasional indulgent op-ed.

Picture-free newspapers are not award bait, so I am very thankful the underdog gets this sliver of the spotlight. It takes an increasingly rare perspective to see this blog as award-worthy. You have to try pretty hard to find this bland space as I don’t have any social media accounts to promote it. In 2008 — my first full year — this blog received 1,615 views. After more than 1,400 posts, this blog has now surpassed 200,000 views and 26,000 visitors, including more than 1,500 in one day last November. I honestly and sincerely learned most of those numbers minutes before you just did.

The statistical minutia is not a pat on the back. It is a thank you. There are not many options for NCAA Division III women’s volleyball blogs, but I am thankful that you have apparently passed along this picture-free newspaper within the engaged and passionate community. Taking the steps to nominate this blog for an award is a reflection of you more than it is of me. This blog would not exist if there were not volleyball players, coaches, fans, sports information directors, etc.

The AVCA Grant Burger Media Award for the Web is a tremendous honor. However, this blog will probably continue to disseminate NCAA Division III women’s volleyball info in medicinal form, devoid of pictures and anything else that makes for pleasurable viewing, because the purpose and intent of this blog was never to highlight what I can do. And just between us, there is not much I can do well anyway.

Thank you.

Yours in volleyball,
Ricky Nelson

UWL announces new coach

Amber Dunn was named the new head coach at Wisconsin-La Crosse today. Dunn was most recently the head coach at SUNY Geneseo.

-Ricky Nelson