DALLAS –
UT Dallas headlined the coaches/sports information directors’ preseason poll as repeat favorites for the 2023 American Southwest Conference volleyball title, announced Tuesday.
The Comets notched a 21-6 overall record with a 14-2 conference record to earn the top seed and hosting rights for the ASC Volleyball Championship Tournament last fall. They won consecutive titles and have won eight overall with six coming in the past eight years. UTD tallied 120 points with 10 first place votes.
East Texas Baptist enters the preseason poll in second place. The Tigers logged a 20-7 record with a 10-6 conference record in 2022, as they reached the title match and finished runner-up. ETBU was the other team to eclipse the century mark in points with 109 and garnered five first place votes.
Mary Hardin-Baylor comes in third place with 91 points and the remaining first place vote. The Cru posted a 17-8 overall with a 10-5 conference record.
Hardin-Simmons followed in fourth with 79 points after going 14-10 with an 8-8 league record.
LeTourneau came in fifth with 58 points and were 15-12 with an 8-8 ASC record.
Concordia Texas totaled 52 points for sixth and had a winning record of 12-11 that included an 8-8 league record.
McMurry entered seventh with 47 points and stuck an even 12-12 record and gave the group four teams tied for the same ASC record of 8-8.
Howard Payne rounds out the standings with 20 points.
Sul Ross State will not count in the 2023 standings and are ineligible for both the ASC and NCAA Championships due to the Lobos reclassifying to NCAA Division II.
Eighteen volleyball players were tabbed by coaches on the 2023 ASC Volleyball Players to Watch List. This group includes: 2022 ASC Most Valuable Player and 2022 ASC Freshman of the Year
Gracyee Mosley (East Texas Baptist), 2022 ASC Setter of the Year
Emma Sevening (UT Dalals), and 2022 ASC Libero of the Year
Morgan Nix (LeTourneau).
Season play begins on September 1 for these teams.
2023 ASC Volleyball Preseason Poll
| Rank |
Team (1st votes) |
Pts. |
2022 Record (ASC) |
| 1. |
UT Dallas (10) |
120 |
21-6 (14-2) |
| 2. |
East Texas Baptist (5) |
109 |
20-7 (10-6) |
| 3. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor (1) |
91 |
17-8 (10-5) |
| 4. |
Hardin-Simmons |
79 |
14-10 (8-8) |
| 5. |
LeTourneau |
58 |
15-12 (8-8) |
| 6. |
Concordia Texas |
52 |
12-11 (8-8) |
| 7. |
McMurry |
47 |
12-12 (8-8) |
| 8. |
Howard Payne |
20 |
3-23 (1-15) |
| $ - |
Sul Ross State |
- |
8-13 (4-11) |
$ – Ineligible for ASC and NCAA Championships
2023 ASC Volleyball Players to Watch
| Name |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Team |
Hometown |
| Brylee Awbrey |
OH |
Jr. |
Howard Payne |
Midland, Texas |
| Tatyana Colon |
DS/L |
Sr. |
Sul Ross State |
El Paso, Texas |
| Hannah Frasca * |
OH |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Spring, Texas |
| Loren Garcia |
OH |
Sr. |
Sul Ross State |
El Paso, Texas |
| Dravyn Hurd |
MB |
So. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Beaumont, Texas |
| Lauren Johnson * |
MB |
So. |
UT Dallas |
Waco, Texas |
| Gabby Jones * |
MB |
So. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Waco, Texas |
| Addie Leal * |
L |
Sr. |
McMurry |
Clute, Texas |
| Graycee Mosley * M F |
OH |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Troy, Texas |
| Morgan Nix * L |
L |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
Cypress, Texas |
| Camryn Parker * |
MB |
So. |
Concordia Texas |
Garland, Texas |
| Avery Reid * |
OH |
Jr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Fulshear, Texas |
| Kaitlyn Ruiz * |
L |
Jr. |
Concordia Texas |
Austin, Texas |
| Emma Sevening * S |
S |
Sr. |
UT Dallas |
San Antonio, Texas |
| Allison Smith * |
MB |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
San Antonio, Texas |
| Rylee Spencer * |
MB |
Jr. |
Howard Payne |
Boyd, Texas |
| Addyson Tiffin * |
MB |
Sr. |
McMurry |
Bushland, Texas |
| Liz Underwood * |
OH |
So. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Clyde, Texas |
2022 All-ASC Selection *
2022 ASC Most Valuable Player M
2022 ASC Freshman of the Year F
2022 ASC Libero of the Year L
2022 ASC Setter of the Year S
Molten is the official volleyball of American Southwest Conference and used by all 9 members throughout the season and during the ASC tournament.