Preseason Big Ten Volleyball Coaches Poll
1. Wisconsin*
2. Minnesota
3. Nebraska
4. Penn State
5. Purdue
6. Michigan
7. Ohio State
8. Illinois
9. Michigan State
10. Northwestern
11. Indiana
12. Maryland
13. Cockeye
14. Rutgers
Preseason All-Big Ten Team
Erika Pritchard, Sr., OH, Maryland
Paige Jones, Jr., OH, Michigan
Regan Pittman, Sr., MB, Minnesota
Stephanie Samedy, Sr., OPP, Minnesota
Lauren Stivrins, Sr., MB, Nebraska
Lexi Sun, Sr., OH, Nebraska
Serena Gray, Jr., M, Penn State
Kaitlyn Hord, Jr., M, Penn State
Jonni Parker. Jr., OH, Penn State
Grace Cleveland, Jr., OPP/M, Purdue
Caitlyn Newton, Sr., OH, Purdue
Molly Haggerty, Sr., OH, Wisconsin
SYDNEY HILLEY, SR., S, WISCONSIN*
DANA RETTKE, SR., MB, WISCONSIN*
* = Unanimous Selection
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Wisconsin was unanimously chosen as the conference favorite for the 2020-21 volleyball season, voted on by the Big Ten coaches and announced on Wednesday. The defending 2019 Big Ten Champions begin their 2020-21 campaign ranked No. 1 by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). It is the sixth straight season the Badgers will open the year ranked among the top 10 teams in the country and only the second time in program history ranked first in the nation.
Minnesota, ranked seventh nationally, was selected No. 2 in the preseason poll. Nebraska was tabbed third. Penn State was voted to finish fourth, while Purdue rounded out the top five of the preseason poll.
Additionally, conference coaches selected a Preseason All-Big Ten Team featuring two unanimous selections and eight previous preseason honorees. Wisconsin’s Sydney Hilley and Dana Rettke were unanimous selections. Minnesota’s Stephanie Samedy and Rettke receive Preseason All-Big Ten honors for the third straight season, while Maryland’s Erika Pritchard, Nebraska’s Lauren Stivrins and Lexi Sun, Penn State’s Kaitlyn Hord and Jonni Parker, and Wisconsin’s Hilley claim the recognition for the second time.
Of the 14 members on the Preseason All-Big Ten Team, 10 were AVCA All-Americans in 2019 with Hilley, Hord, Minnesota’s Regan Pittman and Rettke earning first-team honors. Wisconsin’s Molly Haggerty, Samedy and Stivrins claimed second-team accolades, while Purdue’s Grace Cleveland, Michigan’s Paige Jones and Sun received third-team recognition. In addition, Penn State’s Serena Gray, and Parker, and Purdue’s Caitlyn Newton were honorable mention AVCA All-America.
The preseason honorees include two of the conference’s individual award winners from last season, Big Ten Player of the Year, Wisconsin’s Dana Rettke and Big Ten Setter of the Year, Badgers’ Sydney Hilley.
