SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Lake Superior State (LSSU) volleyball program has been selected to finish eighth in the 2023 GLIAC preseason poll with 24 total points, as voted on by the coaches. The Lakers enter their second season under head coach Zac Rambo, and they will be looking to improve upon last season's 5-25 overall record (4-14 GLIAC).

The Lakers are coming off of their first appearance in the GLIAC tournament under the current format in which only the top eight teams qualify, and they were able to prove to be a competitive team despite the results in the wins and losses columns, reaching set scores of 23-23 on many occasions.

"Winning is not innate," said Rambo. "It is a learned trait for a lot of people, and last year that was the big thing. We had to learn how to win… The big thing we've been talking about this year is the expectation of winning now… The program has not been able to be successful in a long, long time, so learning to win is a really big aspect of what we talk about on and off the court."

LSSU returns a majority of its production from a year ago in two of their top three attackers, Mariana Velasque (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Emilee McDaniel (Manistique, Mich.), Second-Team All-GLIAC setter Emily Kalinowski (South Lyon, Mich.), and solid backline players Ally Lasley (Birch Run, Mich.), Sydney Briney (St. Joseph, Mich.), and Emily Hagelthorn (South Lyon, Mich.).

"Leadership wise, [Kalinowski] is the epitome of a leader," said Rambo. "She has put that team on her back multiple times, and she's a special kid."

In addition to LSSU's 13 returners, the Lakers have also added four newcomers in freshmen Shea Berisoff (Kelowna, B.C.), Morgan Deming (Boyne City, Mich.), and Rachel Steele (Eaton Rapids, Mich.) as well as junior college transfer and 2022 NJCAA All-Region XII honoree Hannah Callaway (Portage, Mich.).

"We have a lot of good pieces to be competitive and start that winning tradition that we've been talking about," Rambo said.

The Lakers are set to open up the 2023 campaign in Marquette, Mich. when they face Concordia-St. Paul in their first of four matches at the U.P. Open, hosted by Northern Michigan, on Thursday, Aug. 31. They will then travel to Rolla, Mo. the following weekend for the Missouri S&T tournament before opening GLIAC play at Purdue Northwest on Sept. 14.

Click here for the full 2023 GLIAC Volleyball Preseason Poll.