Metro East Sun

McKendree tied for the fifth-place ranking with Purdue Fort Wayne as both teams received 26 points in the vote.
 
Ball State was voted at No. 1 with 56 points, separated from No. 2-picked Loyola Chicago by just two points, while Ohio State came in at No. 3 with 53 points. Lewis was selected at No. 4 with 44 votes, followed by McKendree and Purdue Fort Wayne at 26 points each. Sealing the seventh and eighth spots were Lindenwood with 21 points and Quincy with eight points.
 
The Bearcats head into the 2023 season after posting a 14-11 overall record along with a 9-5 conference record in 2022 under head coach Nickie Sanlin, who is set to begin her 10th season at the helm of the men's program. 
 
McKendree graduate student libero and two-time All-MIVA Second Team selection Francisco Comas was named to the 2023 Preseason All-MIVA Team. Comas played in 95 sets for the Bearcats in 2022, recording a team-high 185 digs and ranking sixth in the MIVA with 1.95 digs per set.
 
2023 MIVA Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll
1. Ball State – 56 points (3 First-Place Votes)
2. Loyala Chicago 54 points (2 First-Place Votes)
3. Ohio State – 53 points (3 First-Place Votes)
4. Lewis – 44
T5. McKendree – 26
T5. Purdue Fort Wayne – 26
7. Lindenwood – 21
8. Quincy – 8
 
2023 Preseason All-MIVA
Felix Egharevba – Ball State
Kaleb Jenness – Ball State (2023 Preseason Player of the Year)
Kevin Kauling – Lewis
Max Roquet – Lewis
AJ Lewis – Lindenwood
Cole Schlothauer – Loyola Chicago
Parker Van Buren – Loyola Chicago
Francisco Comas – McKendree
Samuel Clark – Ohio State
Jacob Pasteur – Ohio State
Jon Diedrich – Purdue Fort Wayne
Bryce Walker – Purdue Fort Wayne
 
The Bearcats will kick off the 2023 season with a weekend outing in Provo, Utah, as they take on Brigham Young University on Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. MT and UC Irvine on Jan. 7 at 4 p.m. MT. 

Original source can be found here