INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – For the third straight season the Cleveland State volleyball team has been selected to repeat as Horizon League Champions, as the Vikings were tabbed the 2018 Horizon League preseason favorite. The Horizon League announced its preseason poll – which is voted on by all nine league head coaches – Wednesday afternoon.
After sweeping the Horizon League Regular Season and Tournament titles last season for the third straight year, the Vikings picked up 69 points and four first place votes in the 2018 preseason poll. This marks the third time that Cleveland State has been tabbed the preseason favorite since 2012 when the Horizon League began releasing preseason polls.
Along with Cleveland State, Oakland (67 pts, 3 votes), UIC (58 pts, 1 vote) and Green Bay (51 pts, 1 vote) also picked up first place votes to finish in the top-four, while IUPUI rounded out the top-five after picking up 50 points. Northern Kentucky (48 pts) and Milwaukee (29 pts) were slated to finish sixth and seventh, respectively, while Wright State (18 pts) and Youngstown State (15 pts) rounded out the preseason poll.
2018 Horizon League Preseason Poll
1. Cleveland State (4) – 69
2. Oakland (3) – 67
3. UIC (1) – 58
4. Green Bay (1) – 51
5. IUPUI – 50
6. Northern Kentucky – 48
7. Milwaukee – 29
8. Wright State – 18
9. Youngstown State – 15
Cleveland State returns 11 letterwinners – including four starters – from last season's championship squad, and is under the direction of 19-year head coach Chuck Voss. Voss, who is the reigning Horizon League Coach of the Year, has led the Vikings to nine straight winning seasons, including seven 20-win seasons during this stretch.
The Vikings are five-time Horizon League Regular Season (2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017) and Tournament champions (2007, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017), and last season they became just the second team in Horizon League history to win three straight #HLVB Tournament titles.
The Vikings will begin the 2018 season this weekend, hosting the CSU Invitational Friday, August 24 and Saturday, August 25 in Woodling Gymnasium. Cleveland State will welcome Binghamton, Canisius and Montana State for the two-day tournament, which will kick off a 12-match non-league schedule for the Vikings.
CSU Invitational I Schedule
Friday, August 24
9:30 a.m. | Canisius vs. Montana State
12:00 p.m. | Binghamton vs. Cleveland State
4:30 p.m. | Canisius vs. Binghamton
7:00 p.m. | Montana State vs. Cleveland State
Saturday, August 25
11:00 a.m. | Binghamton vs. Montana State
1:30 p.m. | Canisius vs. Cleveland State
