SAN ANTONIO — The defending Southland Conference Tournament Champion UTSA volleyball team has been voted as the preseason favorite to win the regular season crown in one of two polls, conference officials announced on Tuesday. In addition, three Roadrunners earned Preseason All-Southland accolades, including senior libero Kelsey Jewasko and redshirt junior Kelsey Schwirtlich, who were named to the first team.
UTSA received 113 points, including four first-place votes, and was selected as the favorite by the conference's sports information directors. Despite earning five first-place votes, Central Arkansas (104) was voted to finish tied for second with Texas State (104), which received a pair of first-place tallies. Lamar (86) received the final first-place vote and was picked to finish in a fourth-place tie with UT Arlington (86). McNeese State (65) was voted sixth and was followed by Sam Houston State (63), Stephen F. Austin (57), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (40), Northwestern State (29), Nicholls (28) and Southeastern Louisiana (13).
Meanwhile, the league coaches tabbed Central Arkansas (112) as the favorite with five first-place votes and picked the Birds to finish tied for second with Texas State after garnering 107 points and three first-place nods. The Bobcats picked up a pair of first-place votes along with Lamar (84), which was selected to finish fourth. The Lady Cardinals were followed by UT Arlington (78), Sam Houston State (74), Stephen F. Austin (59), McNeese State (58), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (39), Northwestern State (31), Nicholls (30) and Southeastern Louisiana (13).
The Roadrunners, who are led by 10th-year head coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff, return nine letterwinners from last year's squad that posted a 22-12 overall record and 13-3 mark in league play before making to the program's second NCAA Tournament appearance.
Jewasko capped off her junior season by being named one of 12 Southland Scholar-Athletes of the Year. She also collected first-team All-Southland and Libero of the Year honors for the second time in her career after leading the league with 669 digs (5.24 dps). The San Antonio native became the first Roadrunner to collect three consecutive Southland Defensive Player of the Week awards (Sept. 20–Oct. 4) and the first in the circuit since 2005. She eclipsed the 30-digs mark three times last season, including a career-high of 33 against Elon on Sept. 4.
Schwirtlich, who missed the entire 2009 season with a back injury, guided a Roadrunners offense that averaged 13.2 kills per set and hit at a .211 clip. The Corpus Christi native ranked third in the league with 1,230 assists (9.84 aps) and earned first-team All-Southland honors. She recorded a career-high of 59 assists in the season-opening win against Mississippi on Aug. 27.
Junior outside hitter Whitney Walls rounded out UTSA's selections, as the Arlington native garnered second-team Preseason All-Southland honors. Walls finished second on the team with 340 winners (2.64 cps) a year ago while boasting a .273 hitting percentage. She recorded double-digit kills in 19 matches, including a career-best of 17 against Mississippi on Aug. 27.
UTSA begins its 2011 slate on Friday, Aug. 26, at the Texas A&M Invitational in College Station. The Roadrunners will open the season against Creighton before playing the host Aggies later in the day. The Birds play their first home contest on Sunday, Sept. 4, against West Virginia.
