Fresh off a historic, record-breaking season, the Drake University volleyball team has been picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference in the annual preseason coaches' poll, the league announced Aug. 18.
 
Returning MVC Player of the Year, Haley Bush, was also named to the preseason All-MVC team.
 
The Bulldogs collected 77 points in the poll, two points behind defending league champion Illinois State. Drake also earned three first-place votes to equal Illinois State. Loyola was projected third (75 points) while Missouri State and Bradley tied for fifth (71 points) as the top of the incredibly talented league appears poised for another strong season.
 
Drake returns nearly its entire roster from its 2020-21 team that finished second in the MVC standings (11-5 MVC) to match the program's highest ever finish and highest finish since 1996.
 
Drake is led by reigning MVC Coach of the Year, Darrin McBroom, who guided the team to 11 league wins, its most since The Valley adopted an 18-match league schedule.
 
The Bulldogs also return the defending MVC Player of the Year in junior Haley Bush. Bush was just the second Bulldog and first since 1984 to earn league Player of the Year honors. She led The Valley last season with 4.65 kills per set against league foes while hitting .254 and averaging 5.12 points per set.
 
Drake also returns a pair of All-MVC selections in outside hitters Emily Plock and libero Kylee Macke. Macke is poised to become the Bulldogs' all-time leader in digs while Plock ranks fifth in career kills at Drake.
 
That veteran group is bolstered by six newcomers, including a pair of Division I transfers to give the program arguably its deepest and most talented team in a generation.
 
The Bulldogs' 2021 season begins Aug. 27-28 with three matches at Iowa State. The team's home opener is Sept. 24 against Illinois State. Season and individual match tickets are on sale at DrakeTix.com.