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Greyhound volleyball picked 12th in expanded LSC

RICHARDSON, Texas — It’s a larger Lone Star Conference, but Eastern New Mexico’s volleyball team is still picked in 2019 to finish as it did in 2018 — just sneaking into the postseason tournament.

The Greyhounds were slotted fifth in the LSC preseason poll, which drew 45 ballots from LSC head coaches, sports information directors and media representatives throughout Division II’s largest conference.

There’s a familiar face at the top in Tarleton State, which took 39 of the 45 first-place votes after going 32-5 last year and advancing to their first NCAA championship.

Texas A&M-Commerce, last year’s LSC postseason tournament champions, are second in the poll and took two first-place votes.

Other first-place votes went to third-place Angelo State (2), fifth-place Arkansas-Fort Smith (1) and, for some reason, 11th-place Texas Permian Basin (1).

West Texas A&M was fourth in the poll, followed by AFS, Lubbock Christian, Texas Woman’s, Texas A&M-Kingsville, St. Mary’s and St. Edward’s.

The final six teams in the poll were the Falcons, ENMU, Dallas Baptist, UT Tyler, Western New Mexico, Midwestern State, Texas A&M-International and Cameron.

In last season’s 11-team LSC, the Greyhounds wentt 7-13 (9-20 overall) to earn the eighth and final postseason tournament slot before faling to Tarleton State.

Two of the three preseason player of the year selections are repeat selections — Shelley Chapron of Texas A&M-Commerce was named defensive player of the year for the second-straight year, and Angelo State’s Meghan Parker setter of the year for her third. Adriana Darthuy of Tarleton State was the preseason offensive player of the year.

The 18 teams are separated into three six-team divisions. The Greyhounds’ division rivals are Angelo State, West Texas A&M, Lubbock Christian, Western New Mexico, and UT Permian Basin.

Teams will play a total fo 18 conference matches — two against each division opponent and eight crossover games against teams from the other two divisions. A seeding committee will determine the top 12 teams, regardless of division, for the postseason tournament.

The top seed will host the final three rounds of the tournament Nov. 21-23, and the top four seeds receive first-round byes. The lower eight seeds will play first-round games Nov. 19 at the home sites of the higher seeds.

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