The Northern Iowa Panthers, last years MVC champs, take the top spot in this year’s preseason coaches poll, with SIUC taking the no. six position.

However, SIUC volleyball coach Sonya Locke does not take too much stock in preseason polls.

Preseason polls do not mean a whole lot to me, Locke said. If anything they (preseason polls) act to motivate a team to work hard.

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Locke said one reason SIUC was no. six is because the team has not done anything considerable to deserve a higher rank but her optimism and confidence toward this year’s team greatly outweighs any negative aspects of the poll.

We did not make the MVC tournament last year and that is another reason for being ranked no. 6, she said. But I’m going to ignore the preseason rank after all it will all come out at the end of the season.

SIUC lost a tie-breaker to Bradley for the fourth and final spot in last year’s Valley tournament.

Despite losing starter Deborah Heyne to graduation, the netter’s return five starters from last years 18-12 team something that has Locke very optimistic toward the upcoming season.

I look for all of our player’s to improve this year, she said. Right now they all look very good they are all very optimistic, they all work real hard and push each other very hard.

Returning senior Kelly Parke will anchor the middle of the netter’s attack this season. Last year Parke led the team in hitting with a .318 percentage along with 103 blocks. Heather Herdes, last year’s honorable mention, returns as an outside hitter. Herdes led the league last year and placed 10th in the nation with 73 service aces.

Despite the teams hard hitting, Locke said blocking is one aspect that the netter’s need to work on.

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Our blocking has not been very strong in the last couple of years, she said. We really need to improve on our blocking this year.

As with any team, leadership is always a key factor in determining a team,s success.

Locke said she is looking for more than just one player to step up as team leader this season.

They will all have to be solid and strong this year, she said. We need leadership but not in only one player, we need leadership as a team.

Team leadership will play a key role in the MVC this year if any team expects to go far. Last year the conference had three teams with over 20 wins Northern Iowa (28), Illinois State (22) and Drake (20) and eight schools will return at least four starters from last year.

Locke said the competition in the valley this season is perhaps the toughest she has seen.

This year’s MVC is perhaps the toughest ever, she said. A lot of teams are returning a lot of talented players and the competition is going to be very tough. but we are not going to run from any team no matter what. Every team can beat anyone on any given day.