IU Kokomo Picked to Win Seventh Straight RSC Volleyball Title

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio- The Cougars of Indiana University Kokomo are the favorites to win their seventh consecutive River States Conference volleyball championship, finishing atop the 2024 RSC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The poll, announced Monday by the River States Conference office, saw each of the conference's 12 head coaches rank the other member schools in order of predicted finish.

The Cougars were listed first on ten of the 12 ballots, making them the overwhelming favorite to repeat as champions. IU Kokomo won their Opening Round match in the NAIA Tournament last season, advancing the final site in Sioux City, Iowa. The Cougars enter the season having won 22 River States Conference matches in a row.

The other two first place votes went to the Red Wolves of Indiana University East, the reigning RSC East Division champions and the league's other NAIA Tournament qualifier. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, the University of Rio Grande, and Oakland City University rounded out the top five.

The remainder of the poll saw Shawnee State University sixth to finish out the top half of the ranking, followed by Indiana University Southeast seventh, West Virginia Tech eighth, Midway University ninth, Indiana University Columbus tenth, Brescia University eleventh, and Alice Lloyd College 12th.

The defending champions from Kokomo will get the RSC volleyball season underway Thursday, when the Cougars play a pair of matches on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University. The conference season is scheduled to begin on September 17, when Rio Grande, IU Kokomo and Midway will host matches against IU East, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, and Oakland City, respectively.

2024 RSC PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL COACHES' POLL
1. IU Kokomo (120 points, 10 first place votes)
2. IU East (111 points, 2 first place votes)
3. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (93 points)
4. Rio Grande (87 points)
5. Oakland City (80 points)
6. Shawnee State (70 points)
7. IU Southeast (66 points)
8. West Virginia Tech (58 points)
9. Midway (40 points)
10. IU Columbus (35 points)
11. Brescia (21 points)
12. Alice Lloyd (11 points)