UMAC Season Preview

UMAC Begins Conference Play          

     The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference kicks off it season in the first of two UMAC Crossover Weekends, with the first one held this weekend, September 23-24, at Martin Luther College.  

     The race for first place in the UMAC might be a little more competitive than last year.  The # 1 pre-season ranked Bethany College, who finished first in the UMAC last year with a undefeated conference record of 14-0, lost half of their starters, including two first team All-Conference outside hitters Lindsey Larson and Aimee Freiborg.  Larson and Freiborg combined for over 950 kills. 

     St. Scholastica, Northwestern College, and Martin Luther College appear to pose the biggest threats to the conference crown.  St. Scholastica is led by two, two-time first team All-Conference athletes, outside hitter Ashley Hanson and libero Natalie Ristow.  Northwestern College, with 496 victories coming into this weekend, will eclipse the 500 win mark in program history not too far into conference play.  Martin Luther College underwent a dramatic roster change from this past season, with only three returning starters.  Those three starters, however, are setter Emily Buck, first team All-Conference outside hitter Rachel Meyer, and libero Becky Hahn.  Meyer set a single-season school record with 459 kills in 2004.

     Crown returns all but one starter and brings a 12-4 non-conference record with them into UMAC play.  Presentation also returns all but one starter and UM-Morris hopes to build upon last year's respectable conference record of 8-6.  Shelly Roiger takes over the Northland volleyball program and will have to rebuild a squad that lost four starters from last year. 

     The first conference game begins on Friday at 3:00 pm, with Bethany taking on Presentation and Morris facing off against host Martin Luther.