August 1, 2022 

The Big Ten Conference also released its preseason team prior to the start of media day in Chicago.   

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Big Ten Conference released its preseason poll and All-Big Ten Team on Monday prior to the start of the inaugural Big Ten women’s volleyball media days. The Buckeyes were selected to finish fourth in the conference, while junior opposite hitter Emily Londot, senior setter Mac Podraza and junior middle blocker Rylee Rader were all selected to the preseason all-conference team.  

Ohio State returned to NCAA regional semifinals for the second-consecutive season in the fall of 2021 after hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in Columbus for the first time since 2015 and the first time ever in the Covelli Center. The Buckeyes earned a 27-6 record and a 15-5 mark in Big Ten matches, earning five ranked wins and concluding the regular season on a seven-match win streak. Ohio State spent 14-consecutive weeks in the AVCA top-10, which is a program record, with the previous record being 10-straight weeks in the top-10 in 2004. The Buckeyes also topped out at third in the AVCA weekly polls, the highest ranking in program history.  

The defending national champion Wisconsin Badgers was selected to repeat as the Big Ten Champions in 2022. Last fall, the Badgers finished with a 31-3 overall record and went 17-3 in Big Ten matches. Wisconsin finished the season on an 11-match win streak, defeating Nebraska in five sets in the national championship match, hosted at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. The Huskers were selected as the 2022 Big Ten runner-up after finishing as the national runner-up in 2021. Nebraska, a 10-seed, upset No. 2 Texas in the NCAA regional finals to advance to the Final Four and defeated No. 3 Pittsburgh to reach the national championship. The Huskers finished the season 26-8 overall and 15-4 in conference matches.  

2022 Big Ten Preseason Poll 

1. Wisconsin 

2. Nebraska 

3. Minnesota 

4. Ohio State 

5. Penn State 

6. Illinois & Michigan (tie) 

8. Purdue 

9. Northwestern 

10. Maryland 

11. Michigan State 

12. Iowa 

13. Indiana 

14. Rutgers 

Londot, Podraza and Rader were all selected to the preseason All-Big Ten team following successful 2021 campaigns. All three earned AVCA All-American recognition with Rader on the second team, Podraza on the third team and Londot an honorable mention. The trio made the AVCA’s All-Region team in the fall after receiving all-conference nods from the Big Ten as well. Podraza is currently on the 2022 Women’s Collegiate National Team. This is Londot’s second-consecutive All-Big Ten Preseason Team appearance.  

In 2021, Rader set the program record for single-season attack percentage (minimum 200 kills) by hitting .443 (297 kills, 35 errors, 605 total attempts), a mark that ranked fifth in the country at the end of the season. She also tied the program’s single-match record for attack percentage (minimum 10 attempts) by hitting .900 (nine kills, no errors, 10 attempts) at Notre Dame on Sept. 17. Podraza led the country in assists per set (11.97) at the end of the regular season and finished the season third (11.76) as she rose to 10^th in program history in career assists (2,701).  

2022 Big Ten Preseason All-Conference Team 

Raina Terry, Jr., OH, Illinois  

Rainelle Jones, Grad., MB, Maryland  

Jess Mruzik, Jr., OH, Michigan  

CC McGraw, Grad., L/DS, Minnesota  

Jenna Wenaas, Jr., OH, Minnesota  

Kaitlyn Hord, Sr., MB, Nebraska  

MADI KUBIK, Sr., OH, Nebraska  

Lexi Rodriguez, So., L/DS, Nebraska  

Temi Thomas-Ailara, Sr., OH, Northwestern  

Emily Londot, Jr., OPP, Ohio State  

Mac Podraza, Sr., S, Ohio State  

Rylee Rader, Jr., MB, Ohio State  

Sarah Franklin, RS-So., OH, Wisconsin  

Devyn Robinson, Jr., MB/RS, Wisconsin  

Anna Smrek, So., MB/RS, Wisconsin  

Unanimous selection listed in ALL CAPS  

Additional student-athlete due to tie in voting 

The Buckeyes open the 2022 season by hosting back-to-back matches against Texas on Aug. 26 and 27.  View the full 2022 schedule HERE.  

Be sure to come cheer on Ohio State women’s volleyball inside the Covelli Center this fall. Season tickets, a four-match mini plan option and single-match tickets are available HERE. Applicable service fees will apply to all tickets. For group tickets and any questions, contact an account representative at 1-800-GO-BUCKS or via email at [email protected]. 

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