The Missouri volleyball program was picked to finish fifth this season by the league’s coaches as they picked up 63 total points in the voting, just two shy of fourth-place Oklahoma in the Big 12 Preseason Coaches Poll. The Tigers are coming off of an 18-14 season while their 18 wins in 2009 were their most since 2005.
Paola Ampudia and Molly Kreklow were honored by the Big 12 volleyball coaches as the league released its preseason rankings and awards. Ampudia was named to the All-Big 12 Preseason Team while Kreklow was named Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year.
Mizzou returns five of six starters from a season ago and their leader is Ampudia. She was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year last season after finishing league play ranked second in kills per set and points per set. Also, she finished the season with 281 kills over her last 16 matches (nearly 18 per match); no player in the Big 12 had more kills in that span.
Kreklow comes to Mizzou after being named the No. 20 overall national recruit by PrepVolleyball.com. A 6-0 setter from Delano, Minn., Kreklow is the niece of head volleyball coach Wayne Kreklow and will assume the starting setter job this season.