The 2016 Volleyball USA South Preseason Coaches Poll has been released with the Piedmont College Volleyball team earning #3 in the West Division standings announced last Thursday.
This is the fourth season that the Conference will split into divisions in volleyball as the Conference welcomes new League members Agnes Scott College, Salem College and Wesleyan College.
Placing tied atop the USA South West Division poll was Covenant College, led by four-year head coach Joanna Ehman, and Maryville College, led by 31-year head coach Kandis Schram. Covenant earned the program’s first USA South divisional and tournament championships last season after being picked to finish second divisionally.
Maryville placed second in the division a year ago and fell in the finals of the Conference tournament ending a run of two straight Conference tournament titles. Each team received 46 total points and four first place votes. Placing third in the poll with 32 points was Piedmont College followed by Huntingdon College in fourth place with 28 points and LaGrange College in fifth place with 27 points. Rounding out the poll were Agnes Scott (24 points), Salem (14 points) and Wesleyan (seven points).
Averett University, under the direction of 22-year Head Coach Danny Miller was picked to be the East Division favorite. The Cougars are the defending USA South regular season divisional champions and advanced to the semifinals of the USA South tournament last season.
Each divisional preseason poll only includes votes from coaches within that particular division-only. Head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting.
The volleyball regular season gets underway on Thursday, September 1 as six of the League’s 16 teams are in action.
The 2016 USA South Tournament will once again take place on campus sites. The top-six seeded teams from each division will advance to the tournament. The top-two overall seeds from each division will host first and quarterfinal matches on Tuesday, November 1. The winners of the quarterfinal contests will travel to the highest remaining seed who will host the semifinals and finals which will be played on November 4-5.
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