By Hutch CC Sports Information

 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — For the first time since 2015, the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team opens the season ranked in the NJCAA Preseason Division I Rankings.

Released on Wednesday, the defending Region VI champion Blue Dragons are No. 17 in the preseason rankings. The Jayhawk Conference predicted order of finish will be released next week.

The last time the Blue Dragons started the season in the rankings came in 2015 when Hutchinson started the year at No. 20 and ultimately finished ninth at the 2015 NJCAA Tournament. The Dragons weren’t listed in the 2016 and 2017 preseason rankings.

Hutchinson is one of two Jayhawk West teams in the preseason rankings. Defending league champion Seward County starts the season ranked No. 9.

Defending national champion Miami-Dade is the preseason No. 1 pick.

The Blue Dragons finished 27-14 last year. The Dragons were third in the Jayhawk West, but stunned No. 3 Seward County in a sweep on the Saints’ home floor to win the Region VI championship – the program’s fifth under now seventh-year head coach Patrick Hall and 10th since 2004.

The 2018 Blue Dragons have five players returning from last season.

The Blue Dragons open the 2018 season on the road at the New Mexico Military Classic and will face Pima, Odessa, No. 11 Panola and New Mexico Military. Hutchinson opens the home schedule on Wednesday August 29 in the Jayhawk West opener against the Barton Cougars at the Sports Arena.