WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State is coming off its first winning season since 2013 after finishing last season with a 15-14 overall record, and the Mustangs are predicted to finish 11th in the 2025 Lone Star Conference preseason poll.

Junior middle hitter Isabella Dickens is listed as an Offensive Player to Watch, while senior outside hitter Demi Stauffenberg is among the Defensive Players to Watch in the LSC. Junior Alayna Guerrero is one of the Setters to Watch during the upcoming campaign.

The preseason poll and preseason players of the year are voted on by LSC head coaches, sports information directors and media members.

Dickens was honorable mention All-Lone Star Conference last season and led the team with a .322 hitting percentage. Dickens was second on the team with 3.16 points per set and 2.73 kills per set. Dickens, who hails from Iowa Park, Texas, appeared in all 100 sets for Midwestern State last season.

Stauffenberg finished the 2024 season with 2.99 digs per set, helping Midwestern State record the sixth-most digs in the LSC last year with 16.25 digs per set. Stauffenberg also had 0.25 blocks per set for the Mustangs. The native of Lander, Wyoming, was responsible for 3.13 points per set in her inaugural season with MSU after transferring from Laramie County Community College.

Guerrero had a team leading 532 assists and appeared in 78 sets last season. She finished ninth in the LSC with 6.82 assists per set. The product of Red Oak, Texas, had a career-high 46 assists in a 3-1 victory over Southern Arkansas last season.

The Mustangs have added two players from Decatur, Texas, to this year's roster. Trinity Vinzant, a transfer from Nicholls State, is a 6-0 outside hitter, and Peyton Dickson is a 5-11 freshman than can be used as a setter and play the right side for head coach Stephanie Radecki.

Giselle Cazares, a junior defensive specialist from Pearland, Texas, is another newcomer on the roster. She comes to Midwestern State after recording 167 digs and serving 21 aces in her sophomore season at Regis.

Defending Lone Star Conference tournament champion and NCAA Division II national semifinalist Angelo State is picked to win the conference title. ASU totaled 933 points and collected 30 of the possible 54 first-place votes.

UT Tyler is predicted to finish in third place with 859 points and three first-place votes. Dallas Baptist, which shared the conference title in 2023, is the fourth-place pick with 803 points and two first-place votes. Texas Woman's is fifth with 738 points, followed by St. Mary's (633 points), Oklahoma Christian (616 points) and Lubbock Christian (602 points) to round out what would be the potential eight qualifiers for the LSC tournament.

Defending league champion West Texas A&M is picked as the conference runner-up with 919 points and 18 first-place votes. The Buffs went 26-5 overall and were undefeated in LSC play last season en route to their third straight title. WT has won a record 22 conference championships.

UT Permian Basin is predicted to finish ninth with 542 points and Texas A&M-Kingsville is 10th with 499 points. Midwestern State (436 points) is the No. 11 spot, followed by Texas A&M International (371 points), St. Edward's (319 points), new league member UT Dallas (272 points), Western New Mexico (265 points), Eastern New Mexico (204 points), Cameron (116 points) and Sul Ross State (107 points). TAMIU picked up the final first-place vote.

Midwestern State opens the season by hosting the Midwestern State Invitational and faces Southeastern Oklahoma at D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Sept. 4 at 6 p.m.