IRVING — Outside hitter McKenzie Adams was named the preseason Conference USA (C-USA) Player of the Year, the league office announced on Wednesday, and the Roadrunners were predicted to finish in a second-place tie in their first season in the circuit.
Adams averaged 4.85 points, 4.33 kills and 3.84 digs per set a year ago en route to honorable mention American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America (first All-American in program history) and Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Player of the Year honors. She also gained WAC All-Tournament honors and tied a league record by being named Player of the Week five times.
The 6-foot-3 native of Schertz is joined on the preseason All-C-USA team by teammate Annie Kunes, who was named last year's WAC Libero of the Year after leading the conference with 5.05 digs per frame.
Meanwhile, UTSA picked up two of the 14 first-place votes and is tabbed to finish tied for second with defending C-USA Champion Tulsa. Rice received three first-place votes and is the preseason favorite.
The Roadrunners, who return five of six starters and their libero from last season's squad that posted a 21-9 overall record (13-5 WAC), open their campaign on Aug. 30 against LSU at the Tigers Classic in Baton Rouge, La.
| 2013 Preseason Conference USA Polls (first-place votes in parenthesis) | 2013 Preseason All-Conference USA Team McKenzie Adams, OH, UTSA (Player of the Year) Kelli Culbertson, OH, Tulsa Laura Der, OH, Marshall Carnae Dillard, OH, North Texas Xitlali Herrera, MH, UTEP Jillian Humphrey, MH, Rice Annie Kunes, DS, UTSA Cori Martone, MH, Tulane Megan Murphy, S, Rice Chelsea Ross, OH, Middle Tennessee Sam Skinner, OH, UAB Courtney Windham, OH, North Texas | |
| 1. | Rice (3) | |
| 2. | Tulsa (4) | |
| UTSA (2) | ||
| 4. | North Texas (3) | |
| 5. | UTEP | |
| 6. | Middle Tenneesse (2) | |
| 7. | UAB | |
| 8. | Marshall | |
| 9. | FIU | |
| 10. | Tulane | |
| 11. | Southern Miss | |
| 12. | Charlotte | |
| 13. | Florida Atlantic | |
| 14. | Louisiana Tech | |
| 15. | East Carolina | |