Volleyball

UMHB Tabbed to Repeat as ASC Volleyball Champion

2021 ASC Volleyball Schedule
RICHARDSON, Texas – Mary Hardin-Baylor has been picked to win the 2021 American Southwest Conference Volleyball title after a vote of the league's head coaches and sports information directors the conference office announced Friday, August 27
 
UMHB (16-2 / 14-2 ASC) led the voting with 189 points and 13 out of a possible 20 first-place votes. The Cru won their fourth ASC title in 2020-21 under West Division Coaching Staff of the Year, led by Mark Pryor.
 
UT Dallas (15-1 / 14-0 ASC) was picked as the runner-up with 184 points and six first place votes. The Comets won the ASC East Division last season.
 
Concordia Texas (9-3 / 8-2 ASC) was third with 143 points and LeTourneau (16-6 / 11-5 ASC) was selected fourth with 134 points and one first place vote.
 
Rounding out the poll were McMurry (125); East Texas Baptist (102); Hardin-Simmons (82); Sul Ross State (70); Belhaven (47); and Howard Payne (24).

Twenty players are among those to watch in the 2021 season. Nominated by the head coaches, the watch list includes eight players who earned All-Conference honors, 13 All-Division award recipients and eight individual award winners from last season. Reigning East Division MVP Kianna Crow of LeTourneau and West MVP Annika Canaba from Sul Ross State are on the list.
 
The conference returns to a single division in 2021 for the first time since 2014. Teams will play a double round-robin schedule.
 
Regular season play will begin Wednesday, September 1. The ASC Championship is scheduled for November 4-6 and will be hosted at the site of the No. 1 seed.
 
Molten is the official volleyball of American Southwest Conference and used by all 10 members and during the ASC Championships.
 
ASC Volleyball Preseason Poll
Rank Team (1st) Pts. 2020-21 Record (ASC)
1. Mary Hardin-Baylor (13) 189 16-2 (14-2)
2. UT Dallas (6) 184 15-1 (14-0)
3. Concordia Texas 143 9-3 (8-2)
4. LeTourneau (1) 134 16-6 (11-5)
5. McMurry 125 13-5 (12-4)
6. East Texas Baptist 102 8-10 (7-9)
7. Hardin-Simmons 82 6-12 (6-10)
8. Sul Ross State 70 6-10 (6-10)
9. Belhaven 47 7-11 (3-11)
10. Howard Payne 24 3-19 (0-18)
       
ASC Volleyball Players to Watch List
Name Pos. Cl. Team Hometown
Annika Canaba * ^ M MB/S Sr. Sul Ross State Alpine, Texas
Emily Carroll MB Sr. Belhaven Katy, Texas
Tatyana Colon L So. Sul Ross State El Paso, Texas
Catherine Croft * ^ OH So. UT Dallas Buda, Texas
Kianna Crow * ^ M OH Sr. LeTourneau Spring, Texas
Courtney Edge ^ N L Sr. LeTourneau Carthage, Texas
Grace Eidson S S Sr. Belhaven Gainesville, Ga.
Hannah Frasca * ^ F OH So. Mary Hardin-Baylor Spring, Texas
Sarah Ghormley * ^ OH Jr. Concordia Texas Bastrop, Texas
Lillie Hill ^ L F L So. East Texas Baptist Schertz, Texas
Kayla Janikula * ^ MB Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Kingwood, Texas
Adile Leal ^ L L Jr. McMurry Clute, Texas
Alyssa Legette L Sr. Concordia Texas Round Rock, Texas
Amaya Marshall MB/RS Jr. Howard Payne McKinney, Texas
Megan Martinez ^ MB Sr. McMurry El Paso, Texas
Allison Owen * ^ MB/RS Jr. UT Dallas Murphy, Texas
Avery Reid OH Fr. East Texas Baptist Fulshear, Texas
Mya Ross ^ OH Jr. Howard Payne Irving, Texas
Taylor Salone * ^ N MB Sr. Hardin-Simmons Grand Prairie, Texas
Helena Vazquez S Fr. Hardin-Simmons Mansfield, Texas
         
2020-21 All-ASC Selection *
2020-21 All-Division Selection ^
2020-21 Division Most Valuable Player M
2020-21 Division Libero of the Year L
2020-21 Division Freshman of the Year F
2020-21 Division Newcomer of the Year N
2020-21 Division Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year S