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RICHARDSON, Texas – UT Dallas and Mary Hardin-Baylor have been picked to win the 2019 American Southwest Conference Volleyball East and West Division titles. It came after a vote of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors the conference office announced Friday (Aug 23).
UT Dallas (23-10 / 13-1 ASC) led the East Division with 109 points in the preseason poll and received all 21 of the 22 first-place votes. Head Coach Marci Allison and the Comets have won the East Division four straight seasons and were the runner-up at the ASC Championship in 2018.
Mary Hardin-Baylor (28-5 / 15-0 ASC) led the West Division with 123 points in the preseason poll and received 19 out of a possible 22 first-place votes. Last ‘year’s Cru won the West for the fourth consecutive year, as well as the ASC Championship. They rattled off two wins in the NCAA Championship, reaching the third round of the tournament. UMHB will be under first-year head coach Mark Pryor in 2019.
Twenty-two players are among those to watch in the 2019 season. Nominated by the head coaches, the watch list includes five players who earned All-Conference honors, 12 All-Division award recipients and five individual award winners from last season.
Belhaven has completed its final year of transition into Division III athletics and will be eligible for the ASC title and selection to the NCAA Championship for the first time.
Regular season play will begin Friday, Aug 30. The ASC Championship is scheduled for November 7-9 and will be hosted at the site of the East Division No. 1 seed. An automatic berth to NCAA Division III Championship will be on the line.
Molten is the official volleyball of American Southwest Conference and used by all 11 members and during the ASC Championships.
ASC Volleyball Preseason Poll
East Division
| Rank | Team (1st) | Pts. | 2018 Record (ASC) |
| 1. | UT Dallas (21) | 109 | 23-10 (13-1) |
| 2. | East Texas Baptist (1) | 85 | 14-15 (7-7) |
| 3. | LeTourneau | 67 | 7-21 (4-10) |
| 4. | Louisiana College | 38 | 5-22 (3-11) |
| 5. | Belhaven | 30 | 10-19 (2-12) |
West Division
| Rank | Team (1st) | Pts. | 2018 Record (ASC) |
| 1. | Mary Hardin-Baylor (19) | 129 | 28-5 (15-0) |
| 2. | McMurry (1) | 97 | 24-7 (11-4) |
| 3. | Concordia Texas | 84 | 19-12 (11-4) |
| 4. | Hardin-Simmons (1) | 74 | 15-12 (7-8) |
| 5. | Sul Ross State | 44 | 6-14 (5-10) |
| 6. | Howard Payne (1) | 34 | 6-21 (2-13) |
ASC Volleyball Players to Watch List
East Division
| Name | Pos. | Cl. | Team | Hometown |
| Aniah Adams | OH | Fr. | Louisiana College | Missouri City, Texas |
| Daja Bell | MB | Fr. | Louisiana College | New Orleans, La. |
| Kianna Crow E | OH | So. | LeTourneau | Spring, Texas |
| Sydney McEachern E | L | Jr. | Belhaven | Keller, Texas |
| Callista Moore | OH | So. | Belhaven | Elizabeth, Colo. |
| Kennedy Peacock | OH/RS | Fr. | East Texas Baptist | Flower Mound, Texas |
| Lauren Schilling * E | MB/RS | Sr. | UT Dallas | San Antonio, Texas |
| Caroline Shecterle * E | S | Sr. | UT Dallas | Pearland, Texas |
| Cam Taylor E | L | Sr. | LeTourneau | Huffman, Texas |
| Cassidy Zellmer | S | So. | East Texas Baptist | Keller, Texas |
West Division
| Name | Cl. | Pos. | Team | Hometown |
| Kristen Armstrong | RS/MB | So. | Hardin-Simmons | Houston, Texas |
| Jordyn Burnell | OH | Sr. | McMurry | Sinton, Texas |
| Annika Canaba W | MB/S | So. | Sul Ross State | Alpine, Texas |
| Jenna Gillean * W | RS | Sr. | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Midland, Texas |
| Autumn Kilpatrick | MB | Sr. | Sul Ross State | Sterling City, Texas |
| Miranda Klein W | S/RS | Sr. | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Georgetown, Texas |
| Tristyn Massey * W | OH | Sr. | Concordia Texas | Houston, Texas |
| Justice McGowan * W | MB | Sr. | McMurry | Waco, Texas |
| Ashley Pierce W | S | Sr. | Hardin-Simmons | Abilene, Texas |
| Georgia Quiroz W | S | Jr. | Concordia Texas | Georgetown, Texas |
| Mya Ross | OH | So. | Howard Payne | Irving, Texas |
| Kylee Shirley | L | So. | Howard Payne | Deer Park, Texas |
2018 All-ASC Selection*
2018 East Division Selection E
2018 West Division Selection W
RICHARDSON, Texas – Hardin-Simmons has been picked to win the 2019 American Southwest Conference Women’s Soccer Championship. That came after a vote of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors, the ASC office announced Thursday (August 22).
Mary Hardin-Baylor senior forward Chelsea Graham and HSU senior defender Kendell Groom were selected as the ASC Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively.
Hardin-Simmons (18-1-2 / 10-0-1 ASC) was the unanimous first-place pick, receiving 288 points and all 24 first-place votes. Marcus Wood and the Cowgirls won their 16th consecutive ASC championship in 2018 and advanced to the NCAA Championship Sectionals. HSU was ranked 10th in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll.
Mary Hardin-Baylor (12-5-2 / 9-2 ASC) was second in the preseason poll with 250 points after finishing third in the regular-season standings and reaching the ASC Championship finals for the second straight year in 2018.
UT Dallas (16-2-1 / 9-1-1 ASC) was third in the poll with 243 points after a second-place finish last season under ASC Coach of the Year Kanute Drugan.
Rounding out the poll are Sul Ross State (9-5-1 / 8-3 ASC), LeTourneau (11-6-2 / 7-4 ASC), Concordia Texas (6-10, 5-6 ASC), East Texas Baptist (8-8-1 / 5-6 ASC), McMurry (6-12-1 / 3-7-1 ASC), Ozarks (4-9-3 / 2-7-2 ASC), Howard Payne (2-12-1 / 2-8-1 ASC), Belhaven (2-14-2/ 1-9-1 ASC) and Louisiana College (2-13-1 / 1-9-1 ASC).
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Belhaven has completed its final year of transition into Division III athletics and will be eligible for the ASC title and selection to the NCAA Championship for the first time.
Graham (Pasadena, Texas) was a Second Team All-West Region selection by the United Soccer Coaches and a First Team All-ASC pick. She led the Cru with 12 goals and 11 assists, including three game-winners. Graham tied for the conference lead with 35 points in 2018.
Groom (Frisco, Texas) was a Second Team All-West Region selection by the USC and a First Team All-ASC pick. She recorded one goal and three assists while helping lead the Cowgirls to 15 shutouts and only allow 0.33 goals per game.
Thirty-six student-athletes were named to the ASC Women’s Soccer Players to Watch List. The List is composed of up to three players from each institution nominated by the head coaches. Twenty-six of the players submitted are returning all-conference selections including two individual award winners.
The 2019 season will get underway Friday, August 30 as 11 ASC teams take the field for their season openers.
The ASC Championship Tournament is scheduled for November 5, 8 and 10. The quarterfinals will be hosted by the top four seeds with the semifinals and championship game at the overall No. 1 seed. An automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship will be on the line.
Wilson is the official soccer ball of American Southwest Conference and used by all 12 members and during the ASC Championships.