MOUNT VERNON – Coach Jeff Meeker's Cornell Rams embark on another volleyball season as the team to beat in the Midwest Conference.
 
The Rams are the clear favorite to win the Midwest Conference regular season for the 11th year in a row. They earned 64 points and eight first-place votes in the 2023 MWC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 
Lake Forest and Grinnell tied for second place with 53 points apiece. Lake Forest, which was swept by the Rams in last year's MWC Tournament Final, received one first-place vote.
 
Illinois College is the fourth and final team projected to qualify for this year's MWC Tournament with 44 points.
 
Cornell's team has already garnered national attention, receiving 43 votes in last week's AVCA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 
The Rams return a strong nucleus, led by AVCA Honorable Mention All-American outside hitter Ilah Perez-Johnson and two-year starting setter Clare Green, both first team all-MWC picks a year ago. Fifth-year middle blocker Grace Marti and sophomore outside hitter Ella McLaughlin earned second team all-MWC recognition in 2022.
 
Cornell finished 22-8 overall, 8-0 in the MWC last fall. The Rams won the MWC Tournament and earned an NCAA berth for the ninth time since 2011.
 
The Rams open play this weekend at the Jim Coleman Memorial Classic in Aurora, Ill. Cornell faces Aurora at 7:30 p.m. Friday, followed by Saturday matches against Macalester at 1 p.m. and national-votes getter Chicago at 3 p.m.
 
Cornell's home opener is Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m. against Dubuque.