RIVER FOREST, Ill. – Dominican University's women's volleyball program has been chosen third in the 2021 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) poll, as announced on Thursday afternoon.
 
The Stars claimed the 2020-21 NACC South Division title and will look to build on that this fall. Sarah Lychock headlines a list of returners for DU as she was named the NACC South's Defensive Player of the year last season.
 
Gabija Sinickaite joined Lychock as a First Team All-NACC selection, pacing the Dominican attack which finished second in the NACC in both kills per set and attacking percentage. Emily Schellhase also received recognition last season with an Honorable Mention nod, ranking in the top-20 in the conference in both kills per set and kills.
 
Aurora received 384 points and 21 of a possible 28 first-place votes in the poll, which consists of rankings by each of the league's head coaches and head athletics communications professionals. Concordia University Wisconsin ranked second with 357 points and five first-place votes, while Dominican University was placed third with 326 points and one first-place vote. Wisconsin Lutheran College (281 points, 1 first-place vote) edged newcomer St. Norbert College (274) and Lakeland University (271) for fourth place, and a mere nine points separated Concordia Chicago (201), Benedictine University(200), and Edgewood College (192) in places seven through nine.
 
Milwaukee School of Engineering (138), Marian University (118), Illinois Institute of Technology (104), Rockford University (56), and Alverno College (38) round out this year's poll.
 
DU opens its season at home on Wednesday, Sept. 1 with a matchup against Millikin University at 7 p.m.