ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – The Lewis University men's volleyball team is picked first in the preseason Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) preseason poll, released Thursday (Dec. 13).

The Flyers received 58 points, including four first place votes. Loyola was picked to finish second with 54 points and received one first place vote. Ohio State was picked to finish third receiving 53 points and two first-place votes.

Lewis is well represented on the 2019 Preseason All-MIVA team, with five members selected to the team, the most of any team in the conference.

Seniors Matt Yoshimoto (Ventura, CA/Adolfo Camarillo), Mitch Perinar (Channahon, IL/Minooka) and Michael Simmons (Aurora, IL/Waubonsie Valley), junior Ryan Coenen (Franklin, WI/Franklin) and sophomore Tyler Mitchem (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) were picks for the All-MIVA Team.

Coenen was an All-MIVA First Team selection and an AVCA All-American and Volleyballmag.com All-American Second Team selection a year ago. Simmons was an All-MIVA First Team selection and an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention selection in 2018. Yoshimoto was an All-MIVA Second Team selection an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention selection a season ago. Perinar and Mitchem were named to the All-MIVA Second Team last year and Mitchem was also named to the All-MIVA Freshman team.

"It's always great to be recognized by the league coaches on your potential," Lewis head men's volleyball coach Dan Friend said. "We have a veteran group returning that is excited for the season to get going."

The Flyers open their regular season schedule at home with matches against North Greenville (Jan. 4) and against fourth ranked UC Irvine (Jan. 5). Both matches are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.