Volleyball picked to finish fourth in 2023 OAC Coaches Poll

By Wes Mayberry

| 2023 OAC Volleyball Poll and Players to Watch (.pdf) |

ADA — The Ohio Northern volleyball team was picked to finish fourth in the league in the 2023 Ohio Athletic Conference Coaches Poll, which was released on Thursday.

Northern garnered 52 points in the poll.

Otterbein, the defending OAC regular season and tournament champion, was selected as the conference favorite for 2023, earning six first-place votes and 78 points.

Marietta was picked second, receiving 75 points and the remaining four first-place votes.

Mount Union was picked third with 54 points, and John Carroll rounded out the top five with 51 points.

Coaches do not vote on their own teams in the balloting.

The poll also highlighted two players to watch from each school for the 2023 season.

ONU was represented on that list by juniors Erin Wagner (Massillon/Perry) and Rachel Jennings (Novi, Mich.).

Named All-OAC Honorable Mention as a freshman, Wagner was an All-OAC First Team selection last season after finishing with a team-high 338 kills, which ranked fourth in the OAC. Her .290 hitting percentage ranked ninth in the conference, and she tied for second on the team with 63 blocks en route to earning AVCA All-Region 7 Honorable Mention honors. In 47 career games, Wagner has a .286 hitting percentage with 439 kills and 99 blocks.

Jennings is a two-time All-OAC Second Team selection and a four-time OAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree. She recorded a team-best 486 digs, which ranked fourth in the OAC, and was second on the team in service aces (33) and third in assists (56). Jennings has 991 digs, 129 assists and 83 aces in 53 career games.

ONU finished the 2022 season with a 16-10 record and tied for second in the conference with a 6-3 mark.

The Polar Bears open their 2023 season on Sept. 1 against Carroll (Wis.) and Allegheny (Pa.) at the Cedar Point Invitational under first-year head coach Sophie Windover.

2023 OAC Volleyball Coaches Poll