The Northern Kentucky University volleyball team was picked to finish sixth in the 2015 Horizon League preseason poll, the league office announced.
The Norse took a share of sixth place along with Youngstown State, each earning 31 points in the balloting. Defending conference champion Oakland was the unanimous pick to win the league for a second-consecutive year while Milwaukee, which took the 2013 Horizon League crown, was picked second.
Valparaiso, UIC and Cleveland State rounded out the top five.
“We’re very excited to get our inaugural season of Horizon League play started,” said head coach Liz Hart, who enters her sixth year on the Norse bench. “We’re a new member to this league and our colleagues haven’t seen what we can do. The team has worked very hard over the summer and in preseason workouts and we look forward to the opportunity to exceed these expectations.”
NKU returns a pair of All Atlantic Sun Conference honorees in Taylor Snyder and Keely Creamer. Snyder, who also was an Academic all-conference selection, averaged 10.63 assists per set last season and helped the Norse to a league-best .232 hitting percentage. Her 2.83 digs per set also ranked second on the team. Creamer hit .353 on the season and averaged 3.5 kills per set in helping the Norse to their first Division I postseason appearance. Her 0.83 blocks per set also led NKU’s defensive efforts.
In total, the Norse return five starters, plus their libero Mel Stewart, and add a very talented freshman class that includes Haley Libs, who was a Prep Volleyball 150 recruit from Clarksville, Indiana, as well as local standouts Keyaira Lankheit (Newport, Kentucky) and Kelly Turner (Fort Loramie, Ohio).
The 2015 NKU season opens on Friday as the Norse head across the river for a pair of matches. NKU will take on Eastern Michigan at Fifth Third Arena at noon before closing out the day at the Cintas Center against Xavier at 7 p.m.
Fans can interact with NKU volleyball throughout the season by following @NKUNorseVB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
2015 HORIZON LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON POLL
1. Oakland (8) – 64
2. Milwaukee (1) – 53
3. Valparaiso – 50
4. UIC – 37
5. Cleveland State – 33
t-6. Northern Kentucky – 31
t-6. Youngstown State – 31
8. Green Bay – 17
9. Wright State – 8
From NKU Athletics