Lady Buffs favored to defend LSC volleyball title

The Lady Buff Volleyball team have been unanimously selected to repeat as the 2023 Lone Star Conference volleyball champions in preseason polling combined of the head coaches, sports information directors and media as released by the conference office Wednesday afternoon.

The Lady Buffs compiled 762 points, including 42 of 45 possible first-place votes, to outdistance UT Tyler as the LSC 2023 preseason favorite. West Texas A&M is coming off of a 33-4 season which included an unblemished conference record (16-0) and 20th LSC title enroute to the 2022 NCAA Division II national title. West Texas A&M carries a 26-game winning streak into the new season.

 

A pair of Lady Buffs, Torrey Miller (Brownwood, Texas) and Taytum Stow (Hereford, Texas) picked up LSC 2023 Preseason Player of the Year picks. Blair Moreland was also listed on the LSC Players to Watch list. 

 

Miller, a three-time AVCA All-American, claimed 2023 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year honors. The senior outside hitter was named Most Valuable Player for the 2022 Division II Volleyball Championship, South Central Regional and LSC tournament. She was voted 2022 LSC Offensive Player of the Year and All-LSC First-Team after averaging 3.77 kills behind a league-high 479 kills. This is her second year in a row being selected as LSC preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

 

The LSC Defensive Player of the Year and All-LSC First Team selection a year ago, Taytum Stow was voted as the 2023 LSC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The sophomore middle blocker led the conference with a 1.25 blocks per game average while hitting a .342 clip and earning AVCA Honorable Mention All-America and LSC All-Freshman Team honors.

 

Moreland was selected to the LSC Players to Watch list. The junior setter led the Lady Buffs last year in assists with 722 and averaged 5.64 assists per set. This is her second year being named to the LSC Players to Watch list, as she was selected preseason Setter of the Year the previous season. 

 

WT opens the 2023 season on Friday, September 1 at 11:30 a.m. in Canyon against East Central at the annual BritKare Lady Buff Classic.  The Lady Buffs will take on Adams State later that Friday night at 7:00 p.m. and will face off against St. Mary's and Davenport on Saturday, September 2 to close the preseason tournament.