MIAA announces its fall preseason polls
The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) has released coaches’ polls for three of the league’s fall sports, and Olivet College is represented in each of these polls. The Comet men’s soccer team was picked third, while the women’s soccer and volleyball teams were each picked eighth.
OLIVET, Mich. -- The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) has released coaches’ polls for three of the league’s fall sports, and Olivet College is represented in each of these polls. The Comet men’s soccer team was picked third, while the women’s soccer and volleyball teams were each picked eighth.
In the men’s soccer poll, Olivet received 17 points and one first-place vote. Hope College, who won the 2011 MIAA Tournament championship, was chosen as the preseason favorite, as the Flying Dutchmen had eight points and garnered six first-place votes. Calvin College, who won the 2011 MIAA regular season championship, was picked second and received a first-place vote.
The Comets open the 2012 season this Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 1-2, when they participate in the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (RHIT) Tournament in Terra Haute, Ind. Olivet plays Franklin (Ind.) College Saturday at 2 p.m., and the host Engineers Sunday at noon.
In the women’s soccer poll, Olivet received 53 total points. Defending regular season champion Adrian College was picked as the preason favorite. The Bulldogs gained seven-of-nine first-place votes and nine points, while defending MIAA Tournament champion Alma College had one first-place vote, while Hope also received a first-place vote.
The Comets kick-off the 2012 season Friday and Saturday, Aug. 31-Sept. 1, when they host the 2012 Comet Club. Olivet plays Milwaukee (Wis.) School of Engineering Friday at 4 p.m., and Manchester (Ind.) College Saturday at 6 p.m.
In the volleyball poll, the Comets earned 58 points. Defending MIAA regular season and tournament champion Calvin was selected as the preseason favorite, receiving six-of-nine first-place votes. Hope was picked second and picked-up the other three first-place votes.
Olivet will make the short trip to participate in the Kalamazoo College Green Hornet Invitational Aug. 31-Sept. 1. The Comets are scheduled to play Franklin and Case Western Reserve (Ohio) University Friday, and Anderson (Ind.) University and Defiance (Ohio) College Saturday.
Men’s Results (first-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Hope (6) 8 pts. 2. Calvin (1) 16. 3. OLIVET (1) 17. 4. Trine 28. 5. Adrian 33. 6. Albion 34. 7. Alma 43. 8. Kalamazoo 45.
Women’s Soccer Poll Results (first-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Adrian (7) 9 pts. 2. Alma (1) 18. 3. Kalamazoo 27. 4. Hope (1) 28. 5. Calvin 29. 6. Saint Mary’s 45. 7. Trine 51. 8. OLIVET 53. 9. Albion 64.
Volleyball Poll Results (first-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Calvin (6) 10 pts. 2. Hope (3) 13. 3. Alma 26. 4. Trine 29. 5. Kalamazoo 38. 6. Saint Mary’s 40. 7. Adrian 48. 8. OLIVET 58. 9. Albion 62.
Voting for each sport is done by that sport's respective head coaches from each school. Each coach votes for the other schools in the conference in order of predicted finish. Points are assigned in order of voting (one point for first, two for second, etc.). Coaches may not vote for their own teams.