Pioneer volleyball seen as 3rd in SAC

Wayland Baptist is picked to finish in third place in the Sooner Athletic Conference, according to the league's head coaches.
 
Coach Jim Giacomazzi's Pioneers, who last season finished as the SAC co-runner-up, are picked behind Oklahoma City and Texas Wesleyan in the SAC Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll. Wayland picked up 76 points – with two second-place votes, five third-place votes and two fifth-place votes – in the survey of head coaches.
 
OCU, coming off its fifth-straight SAC regular-season and tournament championship, collected nine first-place votes and 99 points. Texas Wesleyan, which has been conference tournament runner-up four straight years, drew two first-place votes and garnered 89 points.
 
Third-place Wayland, which tied Texas Wesleyan for second in the SAC regular-season, was followed closely by John Brown with 75 points. Southwestern Assemblies of God secured the fifth spot at 67 points, followed by Oklahoma-Panhandle State with 57, Mid-America Christian with 48, Langston with 35, Central Christian with 23, Southwestern Christian with 22 and Science & Arts of Oklahoma with 14.

The Pioneers return all but one key player – NAIA Second Team All-American Kellie Kozak – from last year's squad that went 17-8 in the COVID-shortened season, including 8-2 in the conference. Wayland went into its final SAC match with a chance to earn a share of the league title and a berth in the NAIA National Championships, but fell to No. 19 OCU in four. The Pioneers' season ended in the semifinals of the SAC Tournament with a four-set loss to TXWES.
 
Wayland's season begins Aug. 19 with a three-day tournament in Arizona, followed by a tournament in Louisiana. After nine road matches, the Pioneers make their home debut Sept. 3 against Central Christian to kick off the conference schedule.

The SAC Tournament begins Nov. 9 with quarterfinal matches on campus sites, then shifts to Oklahoma City's Abe Lemons Arena for the semifinals Nov. 12 and the championship contest Nov. 13. The NAIA Championship Opening Round takes place Nov. 20 around the country, then the NAIA Championships returns to Sioux City, Iowa, on Nov. 30-Dec. 4.
 

2021 Sooner Athletic Conference Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll
No.	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Pts.
1.	Oklahoma City	9	1									99
2.	Texas Wesleyan	2	6	1	1							89
3.	Wayland Baptist		2	5		3						76
4.	John Brown		1	4	4	1						75
5.	SW Assemblies of God		1	1	4	2	2					67
6.	Panhandle State				2	5	1	2				57
7.	Mid-America Christian					8	2					48
8.	Langston							7	1	2		35
9.	Central Christian								3	7		23
10.	Southwestern Christian								5	2	3	22
11.	Science & Arts								2		8	14