BURNSVILLE, Minn. --- The Minnesota State volleyball team has been picked to finish sixth in the 2019 NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

MSU, which finished its 2018 season with a 18-11 record, including an 11-9 NSIC record,  received a total of 146 points. 

Northern State, which was eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Central Region Volleyball Tournament last season, took the top spot in the poll with 209 points and six first-place votes. Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota Duluth claimed the second spot in the poll together with 203 points.  Wayne State (4th/178 points) and Southwest Minnesota State (5th/170 points) round out the top five.

Senior Morgan Olson was named MSU's NSIC Player to Watch for the upcoming season. Last season Olson garnered All-NSIC First Team accolades. Olson would later go on to claim AVCA All-American Third Team honors, becoming the fifth Maverick to claim All-American honors in team history. Olson led the Mavericks in kills with 468, the second most in Minnesota State history and the second most in the NSIC last year, while boasting a .372 attack percentage

Junior defensive specialist Mara Quam returns after claiming All-NSIC Second Team honors and recording a Maverick record 551 digs during the 2018 campaign.  The senior duo of Anissa Janzig and Ashton Lee return after pacing the team in total blocks. Janzig led the way with 89 blocks, while Lee tallied 81 last season. Setters Micayla Porter and Micayla Porter also return for the Mavericks. Porter posted a team-leading 710 assists and 39 services aces, while Lowry added 546 assists.

Minnesota State opens its 2019 season with an exhibition match against the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D., Saturday, August 24 at 7:00 p.m.  The Mavericks will the host an exhibition match against Gustavus Adolphus Tuesday, August 27 at 6:00 p.m., at Taylor Center.  The regular season begins with the Barry University Classic, a four match event that will see Minnesota State face off with American International, Saint Leo, Saint Anselm and Barry University September 6-7.