RICHARDSON, Texas –– The University of Texas at Dallas and Hardin-Simmons University have been predicted to win 2010 American Southwest Conference volleyball division titles, it was announced by the ASC office on Tuesday (Aug. 17) after a vote of each division’s head coaches and sports information directors. Texas-Dallas’ Niki Calverley, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Erin Maenius, McMurry University’s Terah Brown and Hardin-Simmons’ Gracen Harris earned preseason player of the year honors.

Two-time defending ASC champion Texas-Dallas, which posted the first perfect regular season in ASC history (25-0) last year before falling in the first round of the NCAA playoffs, was the unanimous pick to claim the East Division title for the fifth straight time with 72 points and 12 first-place votes in the annual poll. Head coach Marci Sanders’ Comets led the league in kills (12.64), assists per set (11.65) and opponents’ hitting percentage (.115) in 2009.

Three-time conference champion East Texas Baptist University was the second-place pick in the poll with 59 points. Mississippi College (40 pts.) was in the third spot to round out the East Division’s three teams to qualify for the ASC Championship Tournament. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (33 pts.) was fourth, followed by the University of Texas at Tyler (28 pts.) and LeTourneau University (20 pts.).

Hardin-Simmons (22-7, 16-2 ASC) was picked to repeat its West Division title with 88 points and seven of the possible 14 first-place votes. Head coach Sabrina Bingham’s Cowgirls led the league in hitting percentage (.250) and digs (18.12) last season. HSU has claimed three of the last five West crowns and hoisted the conference trophy in 2006.

McMurry, which won the ASC title in 1997, was the second-place pick in the West with 83 points and four top spot votes. Two-time league champion and seven-time West winner Texas Lutheran University (78 pts.) picked up the remaining three first-place votes and was predicted to finish third to round out what would be the division’s conference tourney qualifiers. Only 10 points separated HSU, McM and TLU. Schreiner University (63 pts.) was picked to finish fourth, followed by Concordia University Texas (35 pts.), Howard Payne University (33 pts.) and Sul Ross State University (17 pts.).

Calverley (Wylie, TX / WHS), a senior setter who was an All-American last season and the East Division Offensive Player of the Year in 2008, was named East Division Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. She led the ASC with 10.37 assists per set last year and also fueled the Comets’ perfect regular season.

Maenius (San Antonio, TX / MacArthur HS), a senior libero who was the East Division Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, was named ASC East Division Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. She totaled an ASC-high of 582 digs last season.

Brown (Abilene, TX / AHS), a senior middle blocker, earned the title of West Division Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Brown, who was the West Division’s most valuable player in 2008, racked up 252 kills last season and also posted a league-high 109 blocks.

Harris (Austin, TX / Westwood HS) a senior libero, was named ASC West Division Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. She averaged a conference-high 5.16 digs per set in 2009 and also served up 40 aces.

Calverley and Brown were all-ASC as well as first-team all-division selections last year. Maenius earned first-team all-division honors, while Harris was a second-team all-division honoree.

The 2010 ASC season – the 15th in league history – begins as early as September 1. The six-team, single-elimination ASC tournament is slated for November 5-6 at the site of the West Division champion and an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Championship will be on the line.

2010 ASC PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL POLL

2010 ASC PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors]