Madison, Wis. - Two-time defending conference champion the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is the preseason favorite to win the 2010 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women's volleyball championship, according to the league's sports information directors.

UW-Oshkosh claimed five first-place votes in the conference poll and has won 10 WIAC crowns, including four of the last five.  The Titans have made 14 NCAA Division III Championship appearances and are seeking their sixth straight season of 32-plus victories.  This year's roster features senior libero Christina Cahoon who claimed AVCA NCAA Division III Player of Year accolades in 2009.  Since Sept. 27, 2005, UW-Oshkosh has been ranked in the top 15 of the AVCA NCAA Division III poll - a span of 56 consecutive polls. 

UW-La Crosse is projected to finish sixth this season. The Eagles return nine letters from last year's squad which finished 7-22 overall and 2-6 in the conference.  UW-L has accumulated 20-plus wins in 14 of the last 15 years.  The team finishes the 2010 campaign with eight of their last nine matches at Mitchell Hall. 

Senior libero Melannie Tate ranks fourth in career digs at UW-L with 1,669, while junior setter Liz Schlobohm is sixth with 1,863 career assists.

Sheila Perkins begins her 17th-year as head coach at UW-L in 2010. She is 374-175 at UW-L and 476-286 in her collegiate career.

UW-L opens its 2010 season Friday, September 3 hosting Buena Vista University (Iowa) at 3:30 p.m. and Oberlin College (Ohio) at 7:30 p.m. in the UW-L Labor Day Invitational.

UW-Eau Claire captured a pair of first-place votes and is expected to take second in this year's nine-team league derby.  The Blugolds have collected three conference titles, including two in the last four seasons.  UW-Eau Claire posted 30-plus wins in 2009 for the first time since 2006 and has reached the NCAA Division III Championship five straight years. 

UW-Whitewater and UW-Platteville each picked up one first-place nod in the conference ballot and are slotted for third and fourth, respectively.  The Warhawks have amassed a league-best 13 titles and 23 appearances (including 18 straight) in the NCAA Division III Championship.  The Pioneers own two WIAC crowns and six appearances in the NCAA Division III Championship.  The Pioneers return a league-high four all-conference performers and are seeking their first back-to-back NCAA appearances.

Returning to the UW-River Falls roster are six individuals who played in at least half of the team's sets in 2009.  Of those six, one is a senior and five are sophomores.  The Falcons are projected to place fifth in 2010 as their schedule begins with 19 of the first 23 matches away from home. 

UW-Stevens Point is picked to finish seventh followed by UW-Stout and UW-Superior. The Pointers begin the season with 13 of its first 17 matches away from home.  UW-Stout returns seven sophomores from the 2009 squad that accumulated the most wins since the 2006 campaign while UW-Superior's 2010 roster will not include one senior.