Cyclones Tabbed to Finish Third in Big 12

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State volleyball team was picked to finish third in the 2016 big 12 Preseason Volleyball Poll, released Thursday. This marks the eighth-consecutive season that the Cyclones have been picked to finish among the conference's top-three squads prior to the start of the season.

Iowa State is coming off its 10th-consecutive NCAA Volleyball Championship appearance in 2015, finishing with a 19-11 record overall, and third in the Big 12 with an 11-5 conference mark. The Cyclones return 12 letterwinners from last season's team, led by a pair of 2015 All-Big 12 First Teamers in Alexis Conaway and Morgan Kuhrt, along with 2015 Big 12 and AVCA Midwest Region Freshman of the Year Jess Schaben.

The climb to the top of the Big 12 standings will be a tall task for the Cyclones, as standing in their way are a pair of 2015 NCAA Semifinalists in Texas and Kansas. For the sixth-straight season, the Longhorns begin the season with the distinction of being the preseason pick for the league title. The five-time defending conference champions, UT returns another loaded squad led by two-time First Team All-American Chiaka Ogbogu. The Longhorns also welcome back right side Ebony Nwanebu, the 2013 AVCA National Freshman of the Year, who missed most of 2015 with an injury.

Sitting in second is Kansas, who is coming off the program's first trip to the NCAA National Semifinals in 2015. KU returns a star-filled squad led by junior duo Ainise Havili and Kelsie Payne, both of whom earned First Team All-America last season. Payne was the selection for the 2016 Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year.

In fourth is TCU, fresh off its second-ever NCAA Volleyball Championships appearance last season, and with its highest Big 12 Preseason pick after being chosen seventh in each of its first four seasons in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs return all of last season's attacking lineup, but do have slots to fill at setter and libero prior to the beginning of the season.

Oklahoma was picked fifth, and will be looking for a bounce-back season after a 12-16 showing in 2015 saw its six-year run of making the NCAA Volleyball Championship come to an end. Santiago Restrepo's Sooners return plenty of talent in Preseason All-Big 12 selections Marion Hazelwood and Madison Ward, but do need to fill the big shoes of All-Big 12 performers Julia Doyle and Kierra Holst.

Kansas State was tabbed sixth by the Big 12 coaches. Coming off a second-straight NCAA Championship trip, Suzie Fritz's Wildcats welcome back their top-six attackers from last season, All-Big 12 setter Katie Brand and 2014 Big 12 Freshman of the Year Kylee Zumach, who only played two matches before a season-ending knee injury in 2015.

Rounding out the preseason poll is Baylor in seventh, Texas Tech in eighth and West Virginia in ninth.

Iowa State will open its regular season on Friday, Aug. 26 at 6:30 p.m. inside Hilton Coliseum against Wichita State. On Saturday, Aug. 20, the Cyclones will host their annual Cardinal and Gold Scrimmage at Hilton, starting at 1 p.m.