Aug. 17, 2006

BAY CITY, Mich. - The head volleyball coaches of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) picked Wayne State to finish fourth in the South Division in 2006. They also chose Grand Valley State to win the league's North Division, and Hillsdale College to take the South Division in preseason balloting.

Grand Valley State, the 2005 NCAA Division II champion, received 36 points and all six first-place votes it was eligible for. The Lakers outdistanced Northwood University, which garnered 28 points and the remaining first-place vote.

Ferris State University placed third in the division with 26 points, while Northern Michigan University finished fourth with 21 points.

Michigan Technological University placed fifth in the division with 18 points, followed by Lake Superior State University and Saginaw Valley State University, which tied for sixth place with nine points.

Hillsdale, after tying for third place in last season's South Division race, received 23 points and four first-place votes in the poll. The Chargers edged out both Ashland University and the University of Findlay, who tied for second place, by three points (23-20). The Eagles and the Oilers each received one first-place nod.

The Warriors tallied 13 points and finished fourth, followed by Mercyhurst College (9 points), and Gannon University (5).

The GLIAC proved to be one of Division II's toughest conferences last season, sending five teams -- Ashland, Ferris State, Grand Valley State, Hillsdale, and Northwood -- to the NCAA II Great Lakes Region Tournament. Grand Valley State emerged as the regional champion, earning a trip to the "Elite Eight," Division II's national championship tournament. The Lakers defeated host and top-ranked Nebraska-Kearney in the championship match, 3-1.

The GLIAC's 13 coaches voted for the division in which they play, but were not allowed to vote for their own team. The first-place team in the North Division ballot received six points, while the second-place team received five points, etc. The first-place team in the South Division received five points, while the second-place team received four points, etc.

To view the complete release from the GLIAC, click here.

NORTH DIVISION

Rank	School (FPV)	Points
1	Grand Valley State (6)	36
2	Northwood (1)	28
3	Ferris State	26
4	Northern Michigan	21
5	Michigan Tech	18
6	Lake Superior State	9
6	Saginaw Valley State	9

SOUTH DIVISION

Rank	School (FPV)	Points
1	Hillsdale (4)	23
2	Ashland (1)	20
2	Findlay (1)	20
4	Wayne State	13
5	Mercyhurst	9
6	Gannon	5