BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College volleyball team was picked to finish sixth by the coaches in the Ohio Athletic Conference in a preseason poll conducted by the OAC Office with the leagues 10 volleyball coaches.

 A year ago, the Yellow Jackets finished 18-14 overall and 6-3 in the OAC as Head Coach Vicki Brault's team again played one of the most competitive schedule in NCAA Division III, including opening the season against the defending national champion for the third year in a row. This season, Brault, who has an outstanding 341-211 career record, including a 271-161 mark at B-W in 14 seasons, returns eight letterwinners and four players who saw considerable action a year ago.

 B-W received 46 total points to rank sixth in the voting.

 The top returning players are senior middle hitter Maria DePeters (Williamsville, N.Y./ Mt. St. Mary Academy), sophomore setter Casey Passen (Ashville/ Teavys Valley), sophomore outside hitter Rebecca Pittenger (Alliance/ Senior) and sophomore defensive specialist Lissy Grame (Berea).

 The Yellow Jackets open the 2008 schedule on riday and Saturday, August 29-30 at the Kalamazoo (Mich.) College Hornet Invitational Tournament.  On the opening day, B-W plays Anderson (Ind.) University at 4:00 p.m. and then plays Olivet (Mich.) College at 6:00 p.m.  The annual BW Marcia French Memorial Tournament is on Friday and Saturday, September 5-6. The OAC opener is on Sept. 23 at Wilmington College at 7:00 p.m.

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

 2008 Ohio Athletic Conference

Volleyball Preseason Poll

            Rank   School (First Place Votes)                             Points

            1.         Ohio Northern (9)                                           81

            2.         Mount Union                                                   71

            3.         Capital (1)                                                       61

            4 (tie).  Heidelberg                                                       51

                        Muskingum                                                      51

            6.         Baldwin-Wallace                                           46

            7.         John Carroll                                                      38

            8.         Otterbein                                                          29

            9.         Marietta                                                            19

            10.       Wilmington                                                        11