Volleyball selected eighth in A-R-C Coaches’ Poll

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- With a full season on the docket this fall, the Simpson College volleyball team is picked to finish eighth after the American Rivers Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll was announced Thursday.

The top three teams in the A-R-C poll all received first-place votes, but Coe claimed the top spot after sharing the 2020-21 conference title with Wartburg. The Knights are in second, while Dubuque is third. Loras sits fourth, and Central and Nebraska Wesleyan are tied for sixth. Buena Vista is ahead of the Storm and Luther holds the final spot.

After last year's fall slate was pushed to the spring due to COVID-19, Simpson turned heads in the season opener by defeating the league-favorite Spartans in a 3-2 match on the road. The Storm ended the campaign 2-6.

Head coach Kekailoa Palea is back for his second season leading the squad. He returns five student-athletes that appeared in at least five matches in the spring.

Senior Lexie Parks registered 62 kills last year for the second most on the team and collected an A-R-C Offensive Player of the Week honor. Junior Marissa Salber dished out 193 assists in 32 sets for an average of 6.03 assists per set for sixth best in the league. Salber had two matches with at least 40 assists during her sophomore campaign. Sophomore Rachel Hardwick was second on the team with 69 digs.

The Storm begin their season Sept. 1 in a home match against Grinnell at 7 p.m. inside Cowles Fieldhouse.

2021 American Rivers Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Coe (7-1, 7-1 A-R-C)
2. Wartburg (7-2, 7-1 A-R-C )
3. Dubuque (5-4, 5-3 A-R-C)
4. Loras (6-3, 5-3 A-R-C)
t-5. Nebraska Wesleyan (3-5, 3-5 A-R-C)
t-5. Central (4-4, 4-4 A-R-C)
7. Buena Vista (3-5, 3-5 A-R-C)
8. Simpson (2-6, 2-6 A-R-C)
9. Luther (0-8, 0-8 A-R-C)