Savannah Matthews Selected to East Division Preseason All-MAC Team
8/24/2022 10:23:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
CLEVELAND — Senior outside hitter Savannah Matthews was named to the six-member East Division Preseason All-MAC Team, the Mid-American Conference announced on Wednesday morning.
This is the second year in a row that Matthews has been selected to the preseason team, as voted on by the league's 12 head coaches. An All-MAC Second Team performer as a sophomore, she was second on the team in points (2.95/set) and kills (2.59/set) and third in digs (2.37/set) last season. Matthews has totaled 846 kills and 842 digs over her first three seasons in a Golden Flashes uniform and will look to become just the sixth student-athlete in program history to eclipse the 1,000 milestone in both categories.
Kent State was selected to finish third in the East Division. The Flashes totaled 40 points in the poll and were the only team other than favorite Bowling Green to receive a first-place vote.
Led by first-year head coach Haley Eckerman, Kent State returns every starter from a season ago and has a roster that includes eight student-athletes who will competing in their fourth or fifth season of college volleyball.
This weekend marks the start of the 2022 campaign as Kent State travels to Harrisonburg, Virginia. The Flashes will open against UAlbany (10 a.m.) and Robert Morris (4 p.m.) on Friday. The weekend finale against host James Madison will be played Saturday at 7 p.m. and broadcast on ESPN+.
Be sure to follow Kent State Volleyball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the squad.
2022 MAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
East Division
1. Bowling Green (11 first place votes) - 71
2. Ohio - 59
3. Kent State (1) - 40
4. Buffalo - 34
5. Miami - 32
6. Akron - 16
West Division
1. Ball State (12) - 72
2. Western Michigan - 55
3. Toledo - 49
4. Northern Illinois - 32
5. Central Michigan - 29
6. Eastern Michigan - 15
Predicted Tournament Champion: Bowling Green (7), Ball State (4), Western Michigan (1)
East Division Preseason All-MAC Team
Petra Indrova, Bowling Green
Katelyn Meyer, Bowling Green
Julia Walz, Bowling Green
Savannah Matthews, Kent State
Caroline Clippard, Ohio
Sam Steele, Ohio
West Division Preseason All-MAC Team
Natalie Mitchem, Ball State
Marie Plitt, Ball State
Megan Wielonski, Ball State
Raeven Chase, Eastern Michigan
Taylor Alt, Toledo
Logan Case, Western Michigan
Maggie King, Western Michigan
