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S.D. – Viterbo (Wis.) is the unanimous coaches’ favorite to win the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Volleyball conference title, the conference office announced Monday.  The coaches’ preseason poll was voted by the league coaches.

The V-Hawks, who went 40-5 overall record and undefeated in 8 NSAA conference matches including an appearance in the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament semifinals last season, garnered all nine first-place votes to record 81 points in the poll.   

Jamestown (N.D.) was picked to finish second in the preseason coaches’ poll with 71 points, followed by Bellevue (Neb.) third with 64 points.  Dakota State (S.D.) placed fourth after registering 50 points, followed by Presentation (S.D.) fifth with 39 points. 

Mayville State (N.D.) edged out Valley City State (N.D.) 30-29 for sixth-place in the poll.  Waldorf (Iowa) earned 23 points to finish eighth, while Dickinson State (N.D.) was ninth with 18 points.

The North Star Athletic Association volleyball conference matches begin on Tuesday, Sept. 13 with Dakota State visiting Valley City State.  All NSAA conference members will be playing a 16-match schedule. 

The top eight teams will qualify for the conference tournament, which kicks off on Nov. 8 with the quarterfinals round.  The winners of the quarterfinal matches will advance to the ‘Final Four’ at top seed on Nov. 11-12.  The tournament’s champion will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament.  The national tournament opening round is slated for Nov. 19 at campus sites, with each opening round winners advancing to the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa on Nov. 29-Dec. 3.

Here is the complete list of the 2016 NSAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll below:

2016 North Star Athletic Association Volleyball Preseason Poll
Rank	School	Points
1	Viterbo (Wis.) (9)	81
2	Jamestown (N.D.)	71
3	Bellevue (Neb.)	64
4	Dakota State (S.D.)	50
5	Presentation (S.D.)	39
6	Mayville State (N.D.)	30
7	Valley City State (N.D.)	29
8	Waldorf (Iowa)	23
9	Dickinson State (N.D.)	18
*First-place votes in parenthesis