With plenty of talent returning for a program that won the Mid-American Conference regular season in 2015, the Northern Illinois volleyball team was picked as the favorite to win the MAC West this year in the preseason coaches poll.
It's the third time in program history that the Huskies have been the preseason favorite to win the division – also earning the nod in 2011 and 2015. The Huskies went 19-11 overall and 14-2 in conference last year, winning the MAC regular season before falling to Ohio in the championship of the MAC Tournament.
The Huskies got 11 first-place votes for 71 points, finishing ahead of Western Michigan (58, one first place vote), Ball State (43), Central Michigan (37), Eastern Michigan (25) and Toledo (17).