By: Pam LaFosse
FRISCO, Texas—McNeese has been picked to finish fourth in the Southland Conference preseason volleyball poll and junior libero
Bailey Tillman and sophomore middle blocker
Sanni Rantanen were named to the preseason team, the league announced Friday.
The Cowgirls, who are coming off an 18-16 overall record and a 13-5 conference record under second year head coach Sasha Karelov, were picked behind HCU, Southeastern, and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi who occupied the Top 3 spots. Coming in behind the Cowgirls was Northwestern State, Incarnate Word, Texas A&M-Commerce, New Orleans, Nicholls, and Lamar.
HCU and Southeastern each picked up eight first place votes with the Huskies collecting 120 points and the Lions picking up 118 points. Texas A&M-CC picked up 96 points and the Cowgirls picked up 93 points.
Eleven of the 14 student-athletes named to the preseason team are returners including McNeese's
Sanni Rantanen who was the "Freshman of the Year" last season. Also returning is the "Player of the Year", Kyndal Payne of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and the "Newcomer of the Year", Grace McLaughlin of HCU.
Rantanen, a second team preseason selection ranked third in the league last season with a .348 hitting percent, fifth in blocks per set (1.00), and seventh in aces per set with 0.36.
Tillman was named to the first team after ranking third in the SLC with 5.09 digs per set and led the Cowgirls with 630 digs a year ago.
2023 Southland Conference Volleyball Preseason Poll
Place Team (1st place votes) Points
1 HCU (8) 120
2 Southeastern (8) 118
3 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 96
4 McNeese 93
5 Northwestern State 82
6 UIW 58
7 Texas A&M-Commerce 55
8 New Orleans 53
9 Nicholls 23
10 Lamar 22
2023 Southland Conference Preseason First Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| OH |
Kyndal Payne |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
Jr. |
Haslet, Texas |
| OH |
Kailin Newsome |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
| RS |
Anna Gadway |
HCU |
Sr. |
Needville, Texas |
| MB |
Leah Stolfus |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
Jr. |
Denton, Texas |
| OH |
Sara Arroyo |
HCU |
Jr. |
Albuquerque, N.M. |
| MB |
Reaghan Thompson |
Northwestern State |
So. |
Kemah, Texas |
| L |
Bailey Tillman |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Sugar Land, Texas |
Second Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| MB |
Sanni Rantanen |
McNeese |
So. |
Tampere, Finland |
| OH |
Cicily Hidalgo |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Jr. |
Opelousas, La. |
| MB |
Audrey Pearce |
HCU |
Jr. |
Aledo, Texas |
| S |
Grace McLaughlin |
HCU |
So. |
Lucas, Texas |
| OH |
Symone Wesley |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
Grapevine, Texas |
| MB |
Jacqueline Arrington |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
Pearland, Texas |
| L |
Kaley Feris |
HCU |
Sr. |
North Richland Hills, Texas |
