Volleyball Picked 5th in Big South Preseason Poll

CHARLOTTE, N.C. ? The UNC Asheville volleyball team has been picked fifth in the league's annual preseason poll as voted by the league's head volleyball coaches. Junior libero Raquel Miotto was voted to league's Preseason All-Conference team.

Defending champion Liberty was chosen to win the title. The Flames received eight first-place votes and 80 out of a possible 81 points. Winthrop received one first-place vote and 71 points. High Point finished third in the voting with 60 points, while Coastal Carolina captured the fourth spot with 52 points. UNC Asheville rounded out the top five with 48 points. Big South newcomers Presbyterian tallied 33 points, which was good for the No. 6 position and fellow new member Gardner-Webb notched 25 points to finish at the No. 7 slot. Charleston Southern received 21 points to finish at No. 8, while Radford picked up 15 points to round out the voting.

“We hope to finish a lot higher than fifth place,” commented UNC Asheville coach Julie Torbett. “I expect our team to be in right in the thick of things in the conference race this year.

“However, we have some time before we begin league play,” added Torbett. “Right now we're interested in getting the season started off to a good start tomorrow at North Carolina Central.”

In addition, the coaches voted Winthrop middle hitter Shannon Sitzmann the League's Preseason Player of the Year for the second-straight year.

Also voted to the preseason All-Conference team were Liberty's Kallie Corbin, who picked up five Preseason Player of the Year votes, and Nicki Scripko, Megan Bickford of Coastal Carolina, Kristina Taylor from High Point and Presbyterian's Kelsey McKee.

“I was happy to see Raquel get honored in the preseason by the coaches,” explained Torbett.

UNC Asheville opens the 2008 season with two matches at the North Carolina Central Invitational on Friday. The Bulldogs take on Elon at 1 p.m. and then battle Florida Gulf Coast at 5 p.m.

The Big South Conference Tournament is slated to be held at UNC Asheville from Nov. 21-23 at Justice Center.

University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics

Volleyball Picked 5th in Big South Preseason Poll

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