BURNSVILLE, MN – Playing in the nation's toughest NCAA Division II conference, a new-look University of Mary volleyball team is selected to finish 14^th in the 2017 Preseason Northern Sun Coaches Poll.

Lauren Randall, one of the top returning offensive forces in the Northern Sun, was named the Marauders Northern Sun Player to Watch in 2017. Overall UMary returns two starters from last year when the squad posted nine victories, the second-most for the program over the last nine years.

One of four seniors on the team, Randall enters her fourth season as a starter for the Marauders at outside hitter. The Burnsville, MN, native was second in the Northern Sun last season in kills per set (4.42) and points per set (4.96) to easily lead the Marauders in both categories. The explosive attacker twice reached 30 kills in a match last year with a career-high 31 against St. Cloud State. It is the most kills for any Marauders volleyball player during UMary's NCAA Era (beginning 2006). For her career Randall is sitting at 933 kills. Additionally Randall was fourth in digs (2.38/set) and registered nine double doubles (double figures in both kills and digs in the same game).

Freddie Campbell, also a senior outside hitter, is the Marauders other returning starter. The native of Kimberly, British Columbia, was third on the Marauders in kills with 1.94/set. Her .220 attack percentage was one of the top marks on the team.
Two other seniors also play key roles. The versatile Katelyn Olson can move between setting and attacking from the right side and a healthy Rachell Vargas-Comme will provide an inside attack and defense at middle hitter.

Junior Geovana Almeida, who averaged 2.43 digs/set and was second in aces with 33, will anchor the Marauders back line. Several new faces will also have a chance to contribute to head coach Thais Franca's squad, including junior setter Amanda Lopes and freshman outside hitter Natalia Cruz. Lopes was an all-conference setter at Seward County Community College and Cruz represented Puerto Rico at the FIVB U-17 World Championships.

Defending national champion Concordia-St. Paul is the coaches choice to repeat as Northern Sun champion. Co-defending conference champion Southwest Minnesota State is picked second, followed in the preseason poll by Minnesota Duluth, Augustana, Winona State, Wayne State, Sioux Falls, Northern State, Minnesota State, MSU Moorhead, Upper Iowa, Minnesota Crookston, St. Cloud State, UMary, Bemidji State and Minot State.

In addition to Concordia winning the national title, the strength of the NSIC was displayed in the final AVCA poll of the year that featured five Northern Sun schools ranked in the top eight of the country and two more in the top 21.
 
The 2017 Marauders roster will feature eight newcomers on the 15-player roster. UMary reports for fall camp on August 12. The regular season commences Sept. 1-2 at the Concordia (NE) University Bulldog Classic in Seward, NE. The Marauders first home game is against Valley City State University on Sept. 5.

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