1. Angelo State (21 first place votes) - 340
2. Tarleton State (9) - 326
3. Texas A&M-Kingsville (1) - 267
4. Texas A&M-Commerce - 236
5. West Texas A&M (1) - 233
6. Eastern New Mexico - 204
7. Western New Mexico - 153
8. Texas Woman's - 120
9. Midwestern State - 106
10. UT Permian Basin - 74
11. Cameron 53
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For the first time in school history, Tarleton will open a season as one of the top-ranked teams in the country after the TexAnns were ranked No. 25 in the nation by the American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll Monday afternoon.
“We’re very grateful to all of the coaches who think so highly of our program,” said head coach Mary Schindler. “Looking back on my time as head coach, this is a wonderful step in the development of our program but it’s certainly not the end step. We’ve proven to ourselves that we have what it takes to be one of the top teams in the nation, but now we have to prove to ourselves that that we deserve to stay there year in and year out.
by Matt Watkins, Amarillo.com
By its normal standard of excellence, the West Texas A&M volleyball program is in rebuilding stages after two considered down years of 2016-17 where their season came to an end in the Lone Star Conference tournament quarterfinals.
However, this season has the potential to be the upswing towards making the program the powerhouse it’s known for.
Ninth-year head coach Jason Skotch has a solid combination of fresh faces and returnees, all with something to prove. “We had six freshmen sign and one transfer,” said Skotch, who is 234-61 at WT and 370-81 overall in 13 years of coaching. “I think the attitude and the mentality is better going into camp.”
Kale Steed, Amarillo.com
One week into fall workouts and first-year head coach Hunter Hughes’ shine has already taken form on his team.
The Buffs coaching staff has demanded discipline from the players, and a hard-nosed mentality has shown through in the first seven practices of camp.
As expected, the defense is ahead of an offense that will showcase a new look in 2017. Senior linebacker Daelin Young and defensive lineman Solomon Perdue have stood out in Hughes and defensive coordinator Miles Kochevar’s 3-4 scheme.
Picking up where they left off last season as well as spring football, the duo have been flying around the football so far during the scrimmage portion of practice.
“We worked with Daelin in some spots in Monday’s practice to get him where he’s in the right spot rushing the passer,” Hughes said. “You can see he has the instinct there. I think he likes the role and has seen a lot more. He’ll be able to make more plays. “Solomon gets after it. He could care less where we’re playing, if it’s raining, snowing. The guy just loves to play football. You need that at nose guard. You have to be a little crazy and he fits that perfectly.
Donnie Palmer II, Times Record News
Losing two of the top receivers from a year ago, the Midwestern State Mustangs’ receivers have a new coach and new quarterback to impress.
The coach is first-year MSU receivers coach Donte Ellington, who is looking for guys to step up.
The quarterback is still to be determined, but whoever wins that battle will be needing some big plays on the outside and chain-moving plays in the slot.
Ellington comes to MSU from Independence Community College (Kansas), where he served as associate head coach and Director of Football Operations. He also worked with the wideouts during his stint at Independence. Ellington also spent time at perennial junior college power Garden City in 2015.
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