Austintown, Ohio – August 17, 2010 – The Heidelberg University volleyball team has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2010 Ohio Athletic Conference regular season title in a vote by the league head coaches. Heidelberg is the reigning OAC Champions and is coming off a season that produced a 27-8 overall record.
Heidelberg, under the guidance of 11th-year head coach Jason Miller, garnered seven first place votes followed by Ohio Northern University in second with three. Otterbein University was selected third, while University of Mount Union and Capital University rounded out the top-five. Marietta College was voted sixth and John Carroll University was seventh. Rounding out the poll is Muskingum University, Baldwin-Wallace College and Wilmington College.
This season, the Berg will look to remain among the nationally ranked, defend its OAC Regular Season Championship and produce its first OAC Tournament title, all en route to making its fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championships.
Heidelberg will look to experienced hitters, junior All-OAC performers Jackie Reinhart (New Riegel, Ohio / New Riegel) and Venessa Haase (Miamisburg, Ohio / Miamisburg), along with sophomores Jacki Street (Grafton, Ohio / Midview) and Marian Bevington (Celina, Ohio / Parkway). Haase returns after leading the offense with 369 kills and is followed by Reinhart with 292 and Street at 264. Also contributing in serves was Reinhart with 81 service aces and Haase with 61.
Leading the way on defense will be two-time OAC Libero-of-the-Year Brittany Donelan (North Olmsted, Ohio / North Olmsted). She will be flanked by returning starter senior Suzy Street (Grafton, Ohgio / Midview), as well as Reinhart and Haase. Donelan registered 689 digs and has moved into the OAC’s career record book. Providing another solid element to the defense is Street and Bevington. As freshmen the duo combined for 159 blocks.
The year begins with a non-conference match at the College of Wooster on Sept. 1. The match is slated to begin at 7:00 p.m.
2010 OAC Coaches Poll (first place votes)
1. Heidelberg (7)
2. Ohio Northern (3)
3. Otterbein
4. Mount Union
5. Capital
6. Marietta
7. John Carroll
8. Muskingum
9. Baldwin-Wallace
10.Wilmington