Aug. 2, 2002

RICHARDSON, Texas - On Tuesday afternoon, the American Southwest Conference announced defending divisional champions East Texas Baptist and Texas Lutheran as leaders in their respective divisions in the 2002 American Southwest Conference Preseason Volleyball Poll as voted by the 12 conference head coaches.

In the West Division, top honors went to TLU, collecting six first-place votes. Second, third, and fourth respectively went to McMurry, Schreiner, and Mary Hardin-Baylor. Hardin-Simmons, along with Concordia-Austin and Sul Ross State are picked to place in the lower half of the division.

As for the East, ETBU, the East Division and ASC Tournament champion in 2001, surpassed Austin College, who is second, for the top position in the East Division of the ASC. Mississippi College was picked to finish third and LeTourneau University fourth.

Two setters were chosen by the conference coaches as front runners for divisional player of the year honors. Allison Castillo (San Marcos, Texas), an ETBU sophomore, was named East Division Preseason Plyer of the Year. Castillo was also honored as All-ASC and is the league's top returning setterwith an 11.67 assist average. Abby Glenn (Leander, Texas), a TLU fifth-year senior, was selected to be the West Division preseason Player of the Year. Glenn was an All-ASC and All-West Division honoree in 2000 after leading the ASC in attack percentage and finishing second in assists.

Hardin-Simmons had an overall record of 6-24 and an ASC record of 6-12 in 2001.