Charger volleyball team picked to claim G-MAC North Division title for sixth-straight season

2022 Volleyball Season Tickets

After winning their fifth consecutive G-MAC title and capturing the NCAA DII Midwest Regional title for just the second time in program history in 2021, the Hillsdale College volleyball team has been selected as the favorite to claim a sixth-straight league crown.

The Chargers are atop the G-MAC North Division in the Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll, released this afternoon, earning 11 of a possible 13 first place votes.

Findlay is second in the North and Walsh is third in the poll, each receiving a first place vote as well. Ashland was selected as the top team in the South Division, with Trevecca Nazarene second. You can find the full poll below.

Coming off one of the best seasons in program history, the Hillsdale College volleyball team remains stocked with talent but has some big holes to fill in the lineup entering the 2022 season.

The Chargers must replace two consensus All-Americans in middle hitter Allyssa Van Wienen and Lindsey Mertz, as well as All-G-MAC outside hitters Maddie Clark and Maggie DePorre and defensive specialist Madie Schider, who is in the top 10 all time in program history in digs.

While those graduated players represent a big loss of talent, Hillsdale's list of returning players is just as impressive and gives the Chargers a great core to build from in the 2022 campaign.

Leading the way is senior outside hitter Karoline Shelton, who enters her final campaign as one of just two players in program history to surpass 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in her career, and is a returning All-American as well. She's joined among starters by sophomore libero Alli Wiese, who set the program record for digs in a single season last year, and sophomore middle hitter Maizie Brown, who's earned All-G-MAC honors in both of her collegiate seasons so far.

Up front, Hillsdale not only has Shelton and Brown to work with but also sophomore Marilyn Popplewell, the Chargers' breakout NCAA Tournament star as a freshman last year, and veteran senior middle hitter Megan Kolp, who are both slated to play bigger roles. A large and talented group of underclassmen who've seen limited playing time so far as well as incoming freshmen also will get the chance to become rotation regulars and impact players.

In the back row, Wiese and Riley are joined by sophomores Amy Buffini and Amanda Hilliker, both of whom will be in the mix to replace Schider. Buffini also adds front-row flexibility to the position with her ability to rotate into the front row and hit at the net at a high level if called upon. A promising true freshman, Chloe Pierce, will be in the mix as well.

The biggest question mark for Hillsdale is at setter, where the Chargers will have to replace five-year starter Lindsey Mertz, the program's assists record-holder. Luckily, Hillsdale has several talented options to choose from. Senior Madeline Zenas played at an All-G-MAC level when subbing in for an injured Mertz during the spring 2021 season, while sophomore Lauren Passaglia showed promise in limited opportunities last year and will contend for the spot. Freshman Josie TeSlaa had a strong high school career and also is very much in the mix.

The Chargers kick off the season on Aug. 26-27 with a trip to Rockhurst University in St. Louis, Missouri for a five-team invitational against several tough Central Region opponents, before hosting a stacked home invitational on Sept. 1-3 that includes three other NCAA Tournament qualifying teams from last year, including Sweet 16 foe Ferris State and Elite Eight foe Gannon.

That leads right into conference play, where the Chargers have a 71-2 record against G-MAC foes since joining the conference in 2017. Despite the dominance, the G-MAC has been steadily improving in recent years and Hillsdale is expecting a hard fight for a sixth-straight title from several teams, including the previously-mentioned Oilers, Cavaliers and Eagles.

You can find the full schedule for the season here.

2022 G-MAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll

 North Division