The return of senior Amanda Rarick, a first team all-conference selection last season, is one of the reasons that the University of Rio Grande was picked fourth in the 2023 River States Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
The return of senior Amanda Rarick, a first team all-conference selection last season, is one of the reasons that the University of Rio Grande was picked fourth in the 2023 River States Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Posted: Aug 15, 2023

RedStorm picked 4th in RSC Volleyball poll

RSC/Rio Grande Sports Information
     MIDDLETOWN, Ohio - The University of Rio Grande has been tabbed as the No. 4 pick in the 2023 River States Conference Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Poll.
     The poll, determined through balloting of the league's 14 head coaches, was released by conference officials on Saturday.
     Head coach Billina Donaldson's squad tallied 110 points in the voting.
     The RedStorm returns the bulk of last year's team, which finished 17-13 overall and 10-7 in RSC play, including senior outside hitter Amanda Rarick (Canal Winchester, OH) and junior setter Avery Huntzinger (Canal Winchester, OH) - both of whom were named to the All-RSC First Team - and senior middle hitter Shalea Byrd (Canal Winchester, OH), who was a second team all-conference selection.
     Rio Grande opens its 2023 campaign on August 25 against Southeastern (Fla.) and Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.) as part of Milligan University Mountain Madness in Milligan, Tenn.
     Indiana University Kokomo found itself in familiar territory as the favorite in the poll, collecting 152 points and 10 of the 14 first-place votes.
     The Cougars, who won their fifth straight RSC postseason title last year, finished 30-7 overall and 16-2 in the RSC with another trip to the NAIA National Championship.
     IUK also won the RSC West Division crown in 2022.
     Point Park (Pa.) University, last year's RSC regular-season champion, placed second in the poll with 142 points and three of the first-place votes. The Pioneers posted a 25-7 overall record and staked their way back to NAIA nationals with an undefeated 17-0 RSC campaign and an RSC semifinals trip.
     Indiana University East grabbed a first-place vote as well and placed third in the poll with 135 points. The Red Wolves are coming off a 26-6 overall finish, a 15-3 RSC record and conference semifinals appearance.
     St. Mary-of-the-Woods (Ind.) College was fifth behind Rio Grande with 107 points, while 2022 RSC runner-up Midway (Ky.) University was sixth with 103 points and Indiana University Southeast placed seventh with 89 points. All were playoff qualifiers a year ago.
     The final predicted playoff team is RSC newcomer Shawnee State (Ohio) University, which came in eighth in the poll with 87 points. The top eight teams in the RSC volleyball points system will qualify for the RSC Championship.
     There are 14 teams in RSC volleyball this year, with seven teams each comprising the RSC East & West Divisions. Shawnee State is in the RSC East, while other newcomer - Indiana University Purdue University Columbus - is in the RSC West.
     IU East has moved to the RSC East to even out the divisions with the departure of Carlow (Pa.) University.
     Ohio Christian University (64 pts.), WVU-Tech (61), Oakland City (49), Brescia (35), IUPUC (30) and Alice Lloyd (14) rounded out the poll.