Ohio State Picked as the 2010 MIVA Preseason Favorite

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association announced today that Ohio State has been picked as the preseason favorite by a vote of the league coaches. The Buckeyes, three-time defending MIVA regular season champions and two-time MIVA defending MIVA tournament champions, edge Ball State by one vote. Ohio State had four first place votes to three for the Cardinals. Lewis was picked to finish third, Loyola-Chicago fourth and IPFW fifth. First-year member Grand Canyon was picked to finish sixth and Quincy seventh to round out the voting.

Three Buckeyes, Kevin Heine, Steve Kehoe and John Klanac, were named to the 10-player MIVA Preseason All-Conference Team. Also named to the team were Ball State's Billy Ebel, J.D. Gasparovic and Ethan Pheister. Mike Iandolo and Nathan Klaas of Lewis, Darryl Shank of IPFW and Kris Berzins of Loyola Chicago complete the team.

Heine, a 6-5 red-shirt senior middle hitter, averaged 1.92 kills and 1.12 blocks per game in conference play last season. Kehoe, a 6-4 setter, was a 2009 MIVA first team All-Conference selection. The red-shirt senior averaged 12.75 assists, 1.97 digs and .94 blocks per game. Klanac, a 6-6 outside hitter, was a 2009 MIVA second-team All-conference selection. The red-shire senior average 2.91 kills, 1.52 digs and .82 blocks per game.

Last season Ohio State finished with a 16-11 overall record and was 9-1 in the MIVA, winning the conference title. The Buckeyes won the MIVA Tournament to earn a semifinal berth in the NCAA Championship. Ohio State lost to eventual champion UC Irvine in the semifinals.

The Buckeyes open the 2010 season in Honolulu, Hawaii facing Hawaii Jan. 7, Southern California Jan. 8 and Penn State Jan. 9.

(1) indicates 2009 MIVA First Team All-Conference Selection      
(2) indicates 2009 MIVA Second Team All-Conference Selection
(3) indicates 2008 MIVA Second Team All-Conference Selection  
(4) indicates 2008 MIVA Freshman of the Year