WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Mount Union women's volleyball was picked to finish sixth in the Ohio Athletic Conference coaches preseason Poll as it was released on Monday afternoon.
 
Mount Union returns every starter from last season which includes the OAC Rookie of the Year in sophomore outside hitter Zoe Sweigart (Canal Winchester)
 
Sweigart led the team with 255 kills last season and she will join up with senior right side hitter Molly McKee (North Ridgeville) who was second in kills with 223.
 
Mount Union also has a pair of senior starters looking to anchor the defense in middle hitter Ava Bolen (Wellsburg, W. Va. / Brooke) who averages 1.15 blocks per set for her career which is fourth in active career leaders in Division III and fifth in total career blocks in Division III with 307 and libero Averi Haley (Orrville) returns after picking up 548 digs last season and sits at 1,471 in her career which sits fifth in Division III active leaders.
 
The Raiders begin the season next Tuesday, September 1^st at 7 pm heading to Cleveland, Ohio to take on Case Western Reserve. Mount Union will return home on Friday and Saturday September 4^th and 5th as they host the 2026 Mount Union Invitational.
 
Mount Union looks to challenge itself with matchups against four NCAA Tournament teams in Penn St. Behrend, Carnegie Mellon, Wittenberg and OAC foe Otterbein.
 
2025 OAC Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Otterbein 64 pts (8)
2. Muskingum 54 pts (1)
3. Marietta 46 pts
4. Ohio Northern 40 pts
5. Baldwin Wallace 37 pts
6. Mount Union 32 pts
7. Heidelberg 27 pts
8. Wilmington 12 pts
9. Capital 9 pts.
First place votes in parenthesis, coaches could not vote for their own team