BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College volleyball team was picked to finish fifth in the 2011 Ohio Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released today (Wednesday, August 16).

The Yellow Jackets are under the direction of Head Coach Vicki Brault, who enters her 17th  season in Berea with 309 wins at the College and 379 in her career. B-W returns plenty of experience with 11 returning letterwinners, including two seniors and six juniors.  Five starters return, including junior All-OAC hitter Rachel Switalski (North Royalton/ Holy Name).

B-W received 46 total points in the Coaches Poll to rank fifth. Defending OAC-champion Heidelberg University was selected by the coaches to repeat as OAC champions with 81 total points and nine first-place votes. Otterbein University was second with 68 points and one first-place vote.  Coaches cannot vote for their own team.

"The conference looks extremely tough again this season," said Brault. "We return a solid group of veterans and will be ready to be at our very best once league play starts in late September. Our non-conference schedule is very competitive and should prepare us well for the OAC challenges ahead."

"We return a quality group of young women with experience and the desire to be successful,"continued Brault.  "Our goals are to get better every day and to qualify for the 2011 OAC postseason tournament."

B-W opens the season at the Kalamazoo (Mich.) College Green Hornet Invitational.  It faces host Kalamazoo on September 2 at 4:00 and then plays Franklin (Ind.) College at 8:00. The next weekend, B-W will host the annual and prestigious Marcia French Memorial Tournament from September 9-10. The Yellow Jackets open OAC play on Wednesday, September 21 when they host Marietta College in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium of the Lou Higgins Center at 7:00 p.m.

To view the complete 2011 Yellow Jacket Volleyball schedule and a complete season preview, please log on to our athletics website at http://www.bw.edu/athletics/vb/

FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter athttp://twitter.com/bwathletics