Entering the season as the No. 4 team in the nation according to the AVCA Preseason Coaches' Top 25 poll, it should come as no surprise that the University of Minnesota Duluth volleyball team sees itself as a favorite in the NSIC in 2013.
 
After finishing last season with a 29-5 mark (18-2 NSIC), Head Coach Jim Boos returns five of his top seven players from last season.
 
The Opener
The Bulldogs' schedule starts tough and does not get any easier with five AVCA Preseason Top 25 teams on the slate, including No. 18 Wheeling Jesuit and No. 19 West Florida this Friday as the team opens play in the West Florida Opening Weekend Tournament.
 
 
Still, Wheeling returns three starters including All-American candidate Jenna Pew and a sophomore class that saw considerable time during its postseason run. For that, the Cardinals were the unanimous choice to win the Mountain East Conference.
 
Friday evening, UMD takes on the host Argonauts of West Florida, another 2012 NCAA II Tournament team which saw its season end in the South regional's first round. West Florida was also picked to win its sixth-straight conference title.
 
The Argos return three of six starters and two more who saw considerable time in 2013, but will field a young team as well with eight freshmen.
 
Saturday, play continues in West Florida as the Bulldogs face off with Southern Indiana and Missouri S&T.
 
The Line-Up
After she was named the Preseason Player of the Year in one of the strongest volleyball conferences in the league, it should be no surprise that the Bulldogs' roster breakdown begins with senior outside hitter Kate Lange. Lange and her fellow captains Elizabeth Benua (Sr./DS) and AVCA All-Central Region honorable mention Julie Rainey (Jr./Libero) will lead the way on a team with returns nearly all of its top contributors from 2012 while adding five freshmen.

The other returning starters include junior outside hitter Katie Ledwell, sophomore middle blocker Monica Turner, and sophomore setter Ashley Hinsch, the latter two earned All-NSIC First Team honors in 2012.
 
Junior middle blockers Maddy Siroin and Jessica Zieman, outside hitters Aly Kujawa (Jr.) and Mariah Scharf (So.), and defensive specialist Sheenagh Caroline (So.) will all return with experience from the Bulldogs' 2012 NCAA II tournament team.
 
Coach Boos adds five freshmen this season: middle blocker Sydnie Mauch after a redshirt season in 2012, as well as setter Jessie Hayko, middle blocker Allison Olley, outside hitter Taylor Wissbroecker, and defensive specialist Teal Tomaszewski.
 
The new additions will add to the returning firepower to prove the Bulldogs worthy of their top-five preseason ranking.
 
The Outlook
The Bulldogs' schedule gets no easier in the weeks to come, beginning with a match-up with No. 9 Indianapolis on Sept. 13 at the Wis.-Parkside tournament.
 
UMD returns to Romano Gym on Sept. 17 to take on non-conference foe Michigan Tech.
 
The NSIC season begins on Sept. 19 with the Bulldogs opening at home against Minnesota-Crookston. Their first meeting with defending NCAA II champion and preseason No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul will be on the road Sept. 27, with the teams closing out the regular season in Duluth on Nov. 16.
 
Two more NSIC teams ranked in the top 25 to start the season face Wayne State (Neb.) on Oct. 25 and Southwest Minnesota State on Nov. 2. Additionally, conference rivals Minnesota State Mankato and Winona State received votes in the poll.
 
The Bulldogs' 2012 campaign stalled in the NCAA II Central Regional, but the experience and depth that Coach Boos has collected for the 2013 season could very well lead this to be the Year of the Bulldogs.