Now in her second season as Minot State’s volleyball coach, Alex Lehocky is raising the expectations for her Beavers and looks to surprise many of the teams’ foes in the NSIC.

And it looks like the rest of the NSIC might be under-estimating the Beavers as Minot State was picked 15th in the NSIC Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll released today.

Minot State, which opens its 2023 season playing Southeastern Oklahoma State, Montana State-Billings, Black Hills State, and Lubbock Christian on Sept. 1 and 2 at the Yellowjacket Volleyball Invitational hosted by Montana State-Billings, earned 16 points in the preseason poll.

Concordia, St. Paul and Wayne State were picked by the league’s coaches to battle for the NSIC title as the Golden Bears were a slim favorite with 190 points and eight first-place votes, while Wayne State was picked second with 189 points and seven first-place votes.

The NSIC coaches also announced their Preseason Player of the Year and named a Player to Watch from each team with junior transfer Maggie Machado named the Player to Watch for Minot State.

Machado is a 5-foot-9 outside hitter from Sao Paulo, Brazil who transfers from New Mexico Junior College where she was an NJCAA All-American last season and 12th in the nation in total attacks with 1,199 in 32 matches. A former player for Coach Lehocky at NMJC, Machado had 351 kills, 473 digs, 28 blocks, and 45 service aces last fall.

While she was highlighted as a Player to Watch for Minot State, Wayne State junior middle blocker/right-side hitter Taya Beller was named the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year. The 6-2 Beller was an AVCA and D2CCA All-American and the NSIC Offensive Player of the Year in 2022.

As for the team standings, Minnesota Duluth was picked third behind the Golden Bears and Wildcats with 165 points, then St. Cloud State was fourth with 154 points, Southwest Minnesota State was fifth with 142 points, Sioux Falls was sixth with 130 points, Augustana was seventh with 109 points, Northern State was eighth with 108 points, Winona State was ninth with 99 points, Minnesota State, Mankato was 10th with 85 points, Minnesota State Moorhead was 11th with 64 points, Bemidji State was 12th with 49 points, the University of Mary was 13th with 47 points, and Minnesota Crookston was 14th with 28 points.