Tuesday, August 02, 2011

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (August 2, 2011) – After finishing third in the regular season and advancing to the finals of the Atlantic Sun Championship last year, the ETSU volleyball team was picked to finish fifth in the 2011 Atlantic Sun Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the league announced on Tuesday.

Sophomore Megan Devine (Kingsport, Tenn.), the 2010 Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year, has been named to the Preseason All-Atlantic Sun Team. Devine was the only player on the list that is not a junior or senior. She led the Buccaneers in several categories, including kills and points in 2010.

Lipscomb, the reigning back to back A-Sun champions, were picked to again win the league with 85 total points and three first place votes. Lipscomb was also picked to win the A-Sun Tournament with four first place votes.

Kennesaw State was predicted second with two first place votes, while Belmont was picked third with one first place vote. Florida Gulf Coast was picked fourth with two first place tallies and the Bucs followed with a first place vote. Jacksonville followed in sixth with Mercer, North Florida, Stetson and USC Upstate rounding out the voting.

Maggie Johnson of Belmont was named Preseason Player of the Year and Holly Youngquist of Florida Gulf Coast was named Preseason Libero of the Year.

Paige Pridgeon of North Florida was the only preseason honoree that was a unanimous choice for the all-conference team. Jelena Simic of FGCU, Katie Rose of Lipscomb, Alyssa Lang of Kennesaw State, and Charlotte Harris of Mercer round out the preseason All-Atlantic Sun Team.

The Bucs went 26-9 with a 7-3 Atlantic Sun record in 2010. The 26 wins were the most for the program since the 1978 season. The team also advanced to its first ever A-Sun Tournament final. ETSU returns six letterwinners, including three starters, from their 2010 squad. The team will also welcome in six newcomers.

The Buccaneers open the 2011 season against Evansville at the UNC Greensboro Tournament on August 26. ETSU will also take on UNC Greensboro, North Carolina A&T and Coastal Carolina in the two-day tournament.

For more information on ETSU volleyball please visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the volleyball link.

2011 Preseason Honors and Awards

Preseason Player of the Year: Maggie Johnson, Belmont

 

Preseason Libero of the Year: Holly Youngquist, FGCU

Preseason All-Atlantic Sun Team

Pos.       Name                                       School                                     CL           Hometown                            

*OH      Paige Pridgeon                          North Florida                           Jr.            Tallahassee, Fla.                   

OH        Maggie Johnson                        Belmont                                   Sr.           Naperville, Ill.                       

OH        Megan Devine                           ETSU                                      So.           Kingsport, Tenn.                    

OH        Jelena Simic                              FGCU                                      Sr.           Lazarevac, Serbia                  

MB       Katie Rose                                  Lipscomb                               Sr.           Lexington, Ky.                        

OH        Alyssa Lang                              Kennesaw State                       Sr.           Richmond, Va.                       

L           Holly Youngquist                      FGCU                                     Sr.            Estero, Fla.                            

L           Charlotte Harris                         Mercer                                     Sr.          Chapel Hill, N.C.                    

 

*- Unanimous Choice

**- A tie in voting resulted in an eight-person all-conference team

 

Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll

Pl.    Team (1^st Place Votes)            Points

1.        Lipscomb (3)                           85

2.        Kennesaw State (2)                 79

3.        Belmont (1)                             77

4.        FGCU (2)                               72

5.        ETSU (1)                                 68

6.        Jacksonville                             49

7.        Mercer                                     45

8.        North Florida                          44

9.        Stetson                                    17

10.     USC Upstate                           14

 

Predicted 2011 Tournament Champions: Lipscomb (4 votes)