The University of Evansville volleyball team has been picked to finish sixth this upcoming season in the Missouri Valley Conference coaches’ preseason poll, the league announced Thursday.

“I think that the poll is a good indication that teams picked five, six and seven are very close,” said Evansville head coach Mike Swan. “I expected us to be around sixth going into the season. I believe that it will come down to the last week of the season again this year to decide who goes to the tournament. Hopefully being picked sixth will motivate us to get higher, and I think we are capable of getting there.”

The annual preseason poll chose defending regular-season champion Wichita State as the league favorite for 2009. Missouri State came in second followed by Northern Iowa in third.

The Aces volleyball team looks to return to the State Farm MVC Tournament this season by returning nine players, including 2008 all-freshman team member Ellen Sawin, all-conference pick Emily Wandersee and all-tournament member Ginta Gabruseva. Evansville’s first match is slated for 7:00 pm on Friday, August 28 at Memphis.