By: Houston Taylor
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas junior middle blocker Maggie (Ross) Glover (5-9, Waxahachie, Texas) has been named to the 2009 pre-season All-Gulf South Conference West Division volleyball team, and the Lady Muleriders have been picked to finish seventh in the 
division according to the coaches’ poll released Wednesday. SAU received one vote each for fourth and fifth place and four to finish sixth, for a total of nine points.
Defending West Division champion Arkansas Tech collected six first-place votes on its way to 36 points in being picked again to win the division. Harding (31) garnered the lone remaining vote for the top spot in being picked second.
Henderson State (23) is third in the poll, Christian Brothers (20) is fourth, and Arkansas-Monticello (16) and Ouachita Baptist (12) are fifth and sixth, respectively, ahead of Southern Arkansas.
West Florida ended North Alabama’s 11-year stranglehold on the East Division championship two years ago and backed that up with a repeat championship last season. The Argonauts are picked to repeat again this year, garnering five first-place votes and 25 points. North Alabama, which has won the overall GSC championship for 10 of the past 13 years, picked up the other first-place vote and 21 points for second. West Alabama (17) is third, Valdosta State (11) edges West Georgia (10) for fourth and Alabama-Huntsville (6) rounds out the East in sixth.
West Florida received 11 votes to repeat its overall league championship from a year ago in which they advanced to the NCAA South Region finals. Harding received two votes for the overall crown.
A total of 16 athletes were named to the two division pre-season All-GSC team, including 10 who were honored as either first or second team selections a year ago. West Florida, Arkansas Tech, North Alabama and West Alabama each have two members on the team.
Glover, who married over the summer, was a second team All-GSC performer last season, leading the Lady Muleriders in kills (293), kills per set (2.71), hitting percentage (.292), blocks (80) and points (386.5).
SAU has two members on the 2009 top newcomers list in freshman libero/defensive specialist Crystal Roberts (5-6, Hutto, Texas) and freshman outside hitter Courtney Nutt (5-8, Crosby, Texas).
Southern Arkansas reports August 9 and opens its 2009 season August 28-29 in San Angelo, Texas, at the Angelo Retina Angelo State Invitational. The Lady Muleriders’ home opener is slated for Wednesday, September 2 against Drury (Mo.), while they open GSC play at home on September 22, hosting Harding.
