WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Mount Union women's volleyball was picked to finish third in the Ohio Athletic Conference coaches preseason Poll as it was released on Monday afternoon.
 
It will be a new look for the Purple Raiders as they lost Heaven Bartell, a two-time All-American outside hitter, to graduation along with five other Raiders which had half of the kill production last season.

Mount Union however brings back junior middle hitter Ava Bolen (Wellsburg, W. Va. / Brooke) who earned honorable mention All-OAC as she was in the top 5 in the NCAA in blocking with 140 blocks and finished with 153 kills. She will be joined by junior right side hitter Molly McKee (North Ridgeville) and sophomore middle blocker Cami Welty (Eastlake / Eastlake North) with a combined 199 kills and 127 blocks.
 
Mount Union returns its All-OAC honorable mention libero junior Averi Haley (Orrville) and sophomore defensive specialist Sam Cantrell (Eastlake / Eastlake North) returns with 495 combined digs.
 
The Raiders begin the season on Friday and Saturday August 29th and 30th as they host the 2024 Mount Union Invitational.
 
Mount Union looks to challenge itself with matchups against six NCAA Tournament teams in Calvin, Case Western Reserve, Franklin and Marshall, Allegheny, and OAC foes in Marietta and Otterbein.
 
2025 OAC Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Otterbein                                62 (6)
2. Marietta                                  56 (3)
3. Mount Union                          48
T4. Ohio Northern                        40
T4. Muskingum                             40
6. Baldwin Wallace                   28
7. Heidelberg                               27
8. Wilmington                            13
9. Capital                                     10
First place votes in parenthesis, coaches could not vote for their own team