UNIVERSITY CENTER -- The Saginaw Valley State University volleyball team has been chosen to finish second in the GLIAC North Division for the upcoming 2017 season.
The Cardinals garnered 82 points and finished behind first place Ferris State, which notched 121 points and 11 first place votes. In the south, Ashland earned 98 points to claim the top spot, while Grand Valley picked-up 97 points and a single first place nod to finish second.
1. Ferris State - 121 (11)
2. Saginaw Valley - 82
3. Michigan Tech - 76
4. Northern Michigan - 66
5. Northwood - 40
6. Lake Superior State - 20
2017 Saginaw Valley State Preview
The SVSU Volleyball team enters the 2017 season coming off its second straight 20-win season and NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament appearance. The Cardinals posted an overall mark of 20-12 in the 2016 campaign, finishing with an 11-6 record in GLIAC competition.
The Cardinal roster will feature three returning senior starters from last year's squad that posted an opening round victory over Rockhurst in the Midwest Regional Semifinals. Tamara Heller and McKenzie Schuster return as outside hitters for SVSU, while Emily Nieman will return as the libero for the Cards.
With nine of the remaining 10 players on the roster at the sophomore level or younger, the Cardinals will have to rely heavily on a young group of players to step up heading into 2017.
Saginaw Valley opens the season the weekend of September 1 at the Hillsdale Tournament before traveling the next weekend to the University of Indianapolis for another non-conference regional tournament.
2017 GLIAC Preview Interview