2024 WHAC Preseason Coaches' Poll

Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Aquinas women's volleyball team has been selected to finish first in the WHAC Preseason Poll, as announced by the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference on Wednesday (Aug. 7) afternoon. The Saints turned some heads last season with a 31-9 record, a WHAC runner-up finish, and an appearance at nationals.

Aquinas received 139 points with seven first-place votes to top the poll. The defending WHAC regular season and tournament champions, Indiana Tech, finished just behind Aquinas with 137 points and the remaining five first-place votes. Siena Heights (116), Madonna (104), and Cornerstone (98) rounded out the top five teams in the poll.

The Saints finished the 2023 campaign with an impressive 16-4 WHAC record and a 31-9 overall record. Their season featured a nine-match winning streak during the conference season as the team put together its most successful season since 2018. Aquinas picked up a three-match season sweep over Cornerstone to kick off the WHAC Tournament. The Saints then went on to beat Siena Heights 3-1 in the WHAC Semifinals before falling to Indiana Tech in the WHAC Championship.

Looking to build upon the success of 2023, the Saints are returning a bulk of their 2023 roster. The First Team All-WHAC duo of Lydia Harper and Samee Teachworth are set to run it back in 2024 after an incredible 2023 season. Harper was one of the premier setters in the conference and was named the WHAC Newcomer of the Year after tallying 1,267 assists at a rate of 9.67 assists per set. Harper cracked the Aquinas record book with the fourth-most assists in a single season. She also picked up 197 kills, 60 service aces, 309 digs, and 96 total blocks as AQ's dynamic setter.

Teachworth had her best season to date with 319 kills (2.40 kills per set) and a team-leading 133 total blocks, landing herself on the All-Conference First Team for the first time in her career.

Aquinas will also be returning outside hitter, Jenna Lee, after another strong season in 2023 and middle hitter Lauren Chioini. Lee was named to the All-Freshman team in 2022 and followed that with 241 kills, 84 digs, and 38 blocks. Chioini finished the season second on the team with 107 total blocks and was one of the six Saints to record triple-digit kills (171).

Offensively, Michelle Domey and Cece Pelak return as well after a freshman season that saw Domey net 134 kills at a rate of two kills per set and Pelak generate 97 kills and 187 digs.

On the other side of the ball, Chloe Hogarth is back for her junior season after recording 221 digs (1.70 digs per set), 53 assists, and 40 aces. Julia Schweihofer will also be able to provide quality defensive play after she also had triple-digit digs (118) and 68 service aces.

Aquinas has several new names joining an already loaded roster, including a pair of Division I transfers in Bella Hommes from Eastern Michigan (defensive specialist) and Mallory Keller from Indiana State (outside hitter). Division II transfer, Ki'iola Rilveria also joins the Saints' defensive ranks after two years at Wilmington University.

Freshmen Arianna Black, Jayla Martin, and Sarah Curtis will be vying for playing time in one of AQ's most talented rosters to date.

Head Coach Ryan Campbell will be leading the team for his sixth season on the bench for the Saints. He enters 2024 with a record of 103-63 (.620 winning percentage) over the past five seasons. 

The Saints will kick off their season in just two weeks with a home tri-match against Olivet Nazarene and Huntington on August 21st.