The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference released its preseason volleyball poll and Winona State has been voted eighth by the league’s coaches. Defending national champion Concordia-St. Paul topped the poll, receiving 15 of the possible 16 first place votes. The top five teams in the poll were all ranked during the 2011 season.

The league selected WSU senior Kathy Lohff as the team’s player to watch. Lohff was an all-conference performer a season ago after leading the team with 84 blocks and finishing second on the squad with 287 kills and 2.71 kills per game.

Winona State will open its regular season with a pair of tournaments, starting play on Aug. 31 with matchups against Ashland and Missouri-St. Louis in Kirksville, Mo. The team will play its first home match on Sept. 18 when it hosts Upper Iowa.