U-Mary Marauders

2007 record: 12-14 overall, 7-11 in NSIC, seventh place; lost to Southwest Minnesota State 3-0 in NSIC quarterfinals.

Coach: Heidi Sunderland, ninth year, 108-126.

NSIC coaches' poll: Tied for 11th, 47 points.

Top returnees: Laci Murtha, 5-11, OH. Kendra Hobbs, 5-4, DS-L. Anna Silha, 5-4, S. Amanda Hennessy, 5-10, OH.

Returning leaders: Kills - Murtha 239, Wesoloski 153, Enebo 87. Blocks - Murtha 91, Wesoloski 60, Collins 43. Assists - Collins 1,088. Digs - Hobbs 451, Collins 209, Hogan 173. Aces - Collins 46, Murtha 36, Hobbs 22.

Augustana Vikings

2007 record: 19-11 overall, 7-5 in North Central Conference, fourth place; lost to Nebraska-Omaha 3-1 in North Central regional quarterfinals.

Coach: Ashley Buckley, first year.

Coaches' poll: Sixth, 117 points.

Key returnees: Ellen Andrews, 6-1, jr., RS, All-NCC. Cayla Schroeder, 5-8, sr., OH, All-NCC. Lisa Hoegh, 5-6, sr., S, All-NCC.

Returning conference leaders (NCC): Schroeder, fourth in kills, 4.11; seventh in digs, 4.42. Andrews, sixth in kills, 3.95; 10th in aces, 0.28. Hoegh, second in assists, 13.21. Blythe Johnson, tied for fifth in blocks, 1.00.

Notes:The Vikings were ranked 20th in the nation in the preseason poll.

Bemidji State Beavers

2007 record: 10-17 overall, 6-12 NSIC, eighth place; lost to Concordia-St. Paul 3-0 in NSIC quarterfinals.

Coach: Laurie Bitter, second year, 10-17.

Coaches' poll: Tied for 11th, 47 points.

Key returnee: Brie Groskreutz, 5-7, jr., OH.

Returning conference leaders: Groskreutz, sixth in digs, 4.79.

Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears

2007 record: 36-4 overall, 17-1 NSIC, first place; lost to MSU-Moorhead 3-1 in NSIC semifinals; defeated Western Washington 3-1 for national championship.

Coach: Brady Starkey, sixth year, 166-19.

Coaches' poll: First, 168 points.

Key returnees: Maggie McNamara, 5-9, jr., S, first-team All-American, All-NSIC. Maria Steinhagen, 5-10, sr., MB, third-team All-American, All-NSIC. Whitney Meierotto, 5-8, sr., OH, All-NSIC. Emily Palkert, 5-11, so., MH, honorable mention All-American, All-NSIC, NSIC freshman of the year. Mary Slinger, 5-8, jr., L, honorable mention All-American, All-NSIC, NSIC libero of the year.

Returning conference leaders: Steinhagen, second in hitting percentage, .318; fourth in kills, 3.70; eighth in blocks, 1.11. McNamara first in assists, 14.53. Palkert, sixth in hitting percentage, .290; third in kills, 3.99; fourth in blocks, 1.23. Meierotto, seventh in kills, 3.50; second in aces, 0.52. Slinger, fifth in aces, 0.43; third in digs, 6.08.

Notes: The Golden Bears became the first NSIC team to win a national volleyball championship and just the second NSIC team to win a national title in any sport. … They have four players who received All-America mention returning and are ranked No. 1 in the country in the preseason poll. … McNamara was the NSIC preseason player of the year. … C-SP has won the last five NSIC regular-season titles, but had their string of three straight conference tournament titles come to a close.

Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles

2007 record: 6-24 overall, 3-15 NSIC, ninth place; did not qualify for NSIC tournament.

Coach: Lee Anderson, second year, 6-24.

Coaches' poll: Thirteenth, 25 points.

Key returnees: Cassie Yates, 5-10, sr. S. Katie Bonine, 5-10, so., OH. Jaclyn Slepicka, 5-2, jr., L.

Returning conference leaders: Yates, seventh in assists, 10.15. Bonine, sixth in aces, 0.41. Slepicka, eighth in aces, 0.37; 10th in digs, 4.19.

Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs

2007 record: 29-2 overall, 12-0 NCC, first place; lost to Concordia-St. Paul 3-1 in North Central regional final.

Coach: Jim Boos, seventh year, 169-24.

Coaches' poll: Second, 152 points.

Key returnees: Katie Gangelhoff, 5-8, sr., S, second-team All-American, All-NCC. Sarah Wyffels, 5-10, jr., MB, honorable mention All-American, All-NCC. Lindsey Clairmont, sr.

Returning conference leaders (NCC): Wyffels, first in hitting percentage, .381; 10th in kills, 3.25. Gangelhoff, first in assists, 14.26. Clairmont, third in blocks, 1.15.

Notes: The Bulldogs lost Vicky Braegelmann, who was named Division II national player of the year the past two seasons and NCC player of the year three times, to graduation. … They also lost another first-team All-American, Kari Wolford, but return a second-teamer in Gangelhoff, plus an honorable mention selection in Wyffels. … The Bulldogs won the NCC title all four years they were in the conference and are ranked eighth in the country in the preseason poll.

MSU-Mankato Mavericks

2007 record: 19-9 overall, 7-5 NCC, third place; lost to Southwest Minnesota State in North Central regional quarterfinal.

Coach: Dennis Amundson, fourth year.

Coaches' poll: Third, 130 points.

Key returnees: Amanda Beekman, 5-11, so., OH, All-NCC, NCC freshman of the year. Ashley Nachreiner, 6-0, sr., OH, All-NCC, third-team All-American. Danielle Zimmerman, 6-0, sr., MB. Kelly Sandstrom, 5-7, jr., L.

Returning conference leaders (NCC): Zimmerman, ninth in hitting percentage, .274; second in blocks, 1.38. Nachreiner, 10th in hitting percentage, .264; third in kills, 4.20; third in aces, 0.43. Beekman, eighth in kills, 3.80. Sandstrom, eighth in aces, 0.36; fifth in digs, 4.58.

Notes:The Mavericks were ranked 19th in the country in the preseason poll.

MSU-Moorhead Dragons

2007 record: 19-10 overall, 11-7 NSIC, fourth place; lost to Wayne State 3-1 in NSIC championship.

Coach: Tammy Kath-Blake, 14th year, 233-175.

Coaches' poll: Seventh, 102 points.

Key returnees: Kelci Guenther, 6-0, sr., MH. Calla Oftedahl, 5-4, sr., L, honorable mention All-NSIC. Megan Norling, 5-9, sr., OH, honorable mention All-NSIC. Mary Sussenguth, jr., 6-1, jr., OH.

Returning conference leaders: Guenther, ninth in hitting percentage, .257; second in blocks, 1.36. Oftedahl, second in digs, 6.14. Sussenguth, third in blocks, 1.35. Laura Tvrdik, fifth in blocks, 1.22. Norling, fifth in kills, 3.65.

Notes: Guenther is from Williston.

Northern State Wolves

2007 record: 13-16 overall, 8-10 NSIC, sixth place; lost to Wayne State 3-0 in NSIC quarterfinals.

Coach: Lisa Schriver, 13th year, 184-190.

Coaches' poll: Ninth, 68 points.

Key returnees: Kelsey Aden, 5-11, sr., OH. Jill Rasmussen, 5-9, jr., MB. Melanie Perez, 5-8, sr., OH. Megan Gilbraith, 5-8, so., S. Stephanie Nygaard, 5-5, sr., L.

Returning conference leaders: Aden, eighth in kills, 3.38. Perez, ninth in digs, 4.20. Gilbraith, eighth in assists, 7.27; 10th in aces 0.36. Nygaard, fourth in aces, 0.45; fourth in digs, 5.60.

St. Cloud State Huskies

2007 record: 10-21 overall, 2-10 NCC, sixth place; did not qualify for postseason.

Coach: Patricia Mickow, sixth year, 56-95.

Coaches' poll: Tenth, 57 points.

Key returnees: Andreana Pieper, 5-7, sr., L, honorable mention All-NCC. Jennifer Waterman, 5-11, so., S.

Returning conference leaders (NCC): Waterman, sixth in assists, 10.29. Pieper, sixth in aces, 0.32; first in digs, 5.95.

Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs

2007 record: 26-8 overall, 15-3 NSIC, second place; lost to Wayne State 3-1 in NSIC semifinals; lost to Concordia-St. Paul 3-0 in North Central region semifinals.

Coach: Terry Culhane, fifth year, 101-35.

Coaches' poll: Fourth, 128 points.

Key returnees: Leah Ashburn, 5-9, jr., MB, All-NSIC. Sara Graf, 5-10, jr., S, honorable mention All-NSIC. Sarah Quiram, 5-10, sr., L, honorable mention All-NSIC. Krystal Schwanke, 6-0, so., MB.

Returning conference leaders: Ashburn, first in hitting percentage, .331; sixth in blocks, 1.20. Ingvalson, third in hitting percentage, .312. Graf, second in assists, 13.48. Schwanke, 10th in blocks, 1.06. Quiram, seventh in digs, 4.51.

Notes: The Mustangs are ranked 12th in the nation in the preseason poll. … The Mustangs lost conference player of the year Erin Contons, a first-team All-American, to graduation.

Upper Iowa Peacocks

2007 record: 4-26 overall, 0-18 NSIC, 10th place; did not qualify for NSIC tournament.

Coach: Shari Rorbertson, first year.

Coaches' poll: Fourteenth, 16 points.

Key returnees: Beth Deutmeyer, 6-0, sr., MH. Kerri Vance, 5-9, jr., S. Shea Meyermann, 5-8, jr., OH.

Returning conference leaders: Vance, ninth in assists, 6.50.

Notes: Robertson is Upper Iowa's third head coach in four years.

Wayne State Wildcats

2007 record: 24-12 overall, 13-5 NSIC, third place; defeated MSU-Moorhead 3-1 in NSIC championship; lost to Concordia-St. Paul 3-1 in North Central region quarterfinals.

Coach: Scott Kneifl, fourth year, 79-30.

Coaches' poll: Fifth, 125 points.

Key returnees: Brittany Van Beek, 5-11, sr., OH. Jennifer Hefner, 6-1, so., MB. Jenna Jansen, 5-9, so., S.

Returning conference leaders: Hefner, 10th in hitting percentage, .248; seventh in blocks, 1.18. Jansen, fourth in assists, 11.85.

Notes: Wayne State won its first conference tournament title last season. … The Wildcats have qualified for the North Central regional each of the past three years.

Winona State Warriors

2007 record: 19-14 overall, 10-8 NSIC, fifth place; lost to MSU-Moorhead 3-1 in NSIC quarterfinals.

Coach: Connie Mettille, seventh year, 82-116.

Coaches' poll: Eighth, 92 points.

Key returnees: Carmen Stankowski, 5-8, jr., OH, honorable mention All-NSIC. Rudi Balich, 5-11, sr., DS. Mollie Bjelland, 5-8, so., OH.

Returning conference leaders: Stankowski, sixth in kills, 3.62. Balich, eighth in digs, 4.36. Bjelland, first in aces, 0.56.

- Compiled by Lou Babiarz