OKLAHOMA CITY – The Sooner Athletic Conference unveiled its 2023 volleyball preseason poll voted upon by the league's 11 coaches on Monday morning as Mid-America Christian was picked fifth in the tally.
Overall, the Evangels finished with 62 points, placing nine spots ahead of Wayland Baptist (53) and 11 points in-front of Oklahoma Panhandle State (51).
Last season's champion Southwestern Assemblies of God led the voting with 99 points and tallied nine of the 11 first-place votes while Texas Wesleyan came in second with 92 points and the other two first-place tallies. John Brown came in third in the poll with 80 points while Oklahoma City notched fourth with 72 points.
Mid-America Christian is coming off one of its strongest seasons, closing out the 2022 campaign with a 20-16 overall record and finished in a tie for fourth in the SAC standings with a 12-8 league mark. Last season, the Evangels accomplished a pair of program firsts as not only did MACU host its first ever SAC Tournament Quarterfinal match, but also came away with its first SAC Tournament victory after sweeping fifth-seed Oklahoma Panhandle State in straight sets inside the Gaulke Activity Center on Nov. 8 by a score of 25-12, 25-22, 27-25.
The Evangels are bringing back one of the most experienced teams in the SAC from last season, headlined by the returns of their top attacker in Lena Stockhammer, assists and aces leader Casady McKinney and digs leader Marlee Hunter.
Last season, Stockhammer split time between outside hitter and setter, as she ended up leading the team in kills with 428 and notched the second-most assists with 516. In her first season with MACU, McKinney made a major impact from the setter position, leading the squad in dimes with 850 while also tying the NAIA Era record for single-season service aces with 58. Hunter led the MACU back row defense with 729, finishing just nine shovels shy of tying the program's single-season record mark.
Overall, MACU returns many of its starters and leading rotational players with fifth-year senior defensive specialist Faith Foutch, sophomore defensive specialists Sydney Martin and Ryley Bowden, senior middle blocker Sarah Jones, junior middle blocker and right side hitter Miriam Nardi, junior right side Annabeth Fehrle and sophomore outside hitter Lauryn Walters all making their returns.
While losing just two seniors from last year's squad, the Evangels are bringing in three players that are expecting to make an immediate impact, headlined by freshman outside hitter Sawyer Franz. Coming to MACU from Oklahoma Peak Performance, Franz brings a strong striking ability from the outside.
On-top of adding another solid freshman in Kaylee Harrison, fifth-year senior setter Ludmilla Souza will look to bring some added experienced depth to the setter position. Last year, Souza finished the second on the team in assists with NAIA's Florida Memorial.
Mid-America Christian will officially open the 2023 season on August 18 as the Evangels will be competing in the JBU Golden Eagle Invitational. MACU will open the slate against rival Oklahoma Wesleyan with a noon start inside Bill George Arena.
