So this is Part 3 of the series. As the last post indicated, this one will be a lot more truncated than the previous ones, coming as it does 3 weeks into the season. In the names of getting them out as fast as possible, I’m gonna post each league as I get to it. Sorry if it seems like clutter, but I’d rather have clutter than a posting gap.
Let’s just get to it.
Radford Highlanders
2013 regular season and conference tournament champions (25-10, 11-3). Lost 3-0 to Minnesota in the NCAA tournament.
Preseason coaches’ poll pick: 1st (6 of 10 first-place votes)
Results to date: True road wins against Morehead State (3-2 and 3-1; two matches). Neutral court wins against Cal (3-2), North Dakota State (3-0), Maryland (3-2), and Georgia State (3-0). Home wins against North Carolina Central (3-0) and Hampton (3-2). True road losses to New Mexico State and Appalachian State (both 3-0). Neutral court loss to Northern Kentucky (3-1).
The Highlanders are 8-3.
Remaining non-conference matches: An invitational hosted by Virginia Tech, where they will also face Marshall and UNC Wilmington.
Key players: Senior outside hitter Rachel Wiechecki (jersey #10) is the returning conference player of the year. Senior middle blocker Emma Deininger (jersey #3) is also on the preseason first-team all-conference selection. Jena Braden (jersey #7) is another senior, running the offence as a setter. And I just feel like mentioning fourth-year junior opposite hitter Megan Short (jersey #12) as one of the most inaptly-named people ever — Ms Short stands 6-foot-4. She was a part-timer last year and has played 30 of the team’s 43 sets so far.
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
Second place in the conference regular season last year (19-12, 10-4) and conference final runners-up (3-0 to Radford).
Preseason coaches’ poll pick: 2nd (2 of 10 first-place votes)
Results to date: True road win against Jacksonville (3-0). Neutral court wins against Eastern Washington (3-1), Florida Atlantic (3-2), and North Florida (3-2). Home wins against Loyola Maryland (3-0), Kennesaw State (3-1), and Tennessee (3-1). True road loss to UNC Wilmington (3-1). Neutral court loss to Fairfield (3-2).
The Chanticleers are 7-2.
Remaining non-conference matches: A one-off at home against the College of Charleston then an invitational hosted by North Carolina State, which also features Howard and William & Mary.
Key players: Junior outside hitter Gabriella Horvath (jersey #16) was named to the preseason all-conference team, along with her counterpart Lian Bernett (jersey #9). New freshman Leah Hardeman (jersey #10) has come out swinging hard, to the tune of nearly 4 kills per set in the early going. Senior middle blocker Katie Martin (jersey #4) and libero Jenna Orner (jersey #6) are both at or near standard points of statistical excellence for their positions. The challenge is to keep it up.
High Point Panthers
Third place in the conference regular season last year (16-15, 9-5). Conference tournament semifinal loss to Coastal Carolina (3-0).
Preseason coaches’ poll pick: 4th
Results to date: True road win against Davidson (3-1). Neutral court wins against Furman (3-2) and North Florida (3-0). Home win against UNC Greensboro (3-0). True road losses against Duke (3-1) and Elon (3-2). Neutral court losses against Charlotte (3-1) and UNC Wilmington (3-0). Home losses against Eastern Washington and Western Carolina (both 3-2).
The Panthers are 4-6.
Remaining non-conference matches: An invitational hosted by TCU, where they will also face Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Sam Houston State.
Key players: Senior outside hitter Chelsea Davis (jersey #16) was the team’s preseason all-conference pick, and is indeed the team’s leading hitter so far. Her opposite counterpart Kristin Heldt (jersey #5) is scoring a little better as she’s accrued blocks (so far Davis doesn’t have any). Junior setter Gabi Mirand (jersey #8; curiously there are no setters from any team on the preseason all-conference selection) and freshman middle blocker Camryn Freiberg (jersey #21) are both off to statistical fast starts.
Liberty Flames
Fourth place in the conference regular season last year (11-18, 9-5). Conference tournament semifinal loss to Radford (3-2).
Preseason coaches’ poll pick: 3rd (2 of 10 first-place votes)
Results to date: True road wins against Elon (3-0), James Madison (3-1), Georgetown (3-1), and Brown (3-1). Neutral court wins against San Jose State (3-0), UMass Lowell (3-1), and Fairfield (3-0). Home wins against Howard (3-0) and UNC Greensboro (3-2). No true road losses. Neutral court losses against Maryland and Central Connecticut State (both 3-2). Home losses to Murray State (3-0) and South Carolina Upstate (3-1).
The Flames are 9-4, having had a busy early season.
Remaining non-conference schedule: An invitational hosted by Belmont, where they will also face Northern Kentucky and Wright State, and then a home match against the ACC’s Virginia Cavaliers.
Key players: Fourth-year junior Caroline Douglas (jersey #10) is the team’s preseason all-conference pick, and top scorer in the early going. True freshman opposite hitter Hannah Weidner (jersey #5) isn’t too far behind. Erstwhile Hawaii Wahine Jade Vorster (jersey #24) lines up at middle blocker, as does kid sis Sirena Vorster (jersey #21). Sirena’s a true freshman, but she’s gotten some playing time in the early going. I think it’s worth pointing out that Jade joining the Flames isn’t a garden-variety transfer — she actually obtained her undergraduate degree from Hawaii in just 3 years and is pursuing her master’s at Liberty. Respect. Counting a redshirt on the island, she still has 2 years’ volleyball eligibility remaining.
UNC Asheville Bulldogs
Fifth place in the conference regular season last year (17-14, 7-7). Conference tournament quarterfinal loss to Liberty (3-1).
Preseason coaches’ poll pick: 6th
Results to date: True road win against North Carolina Central (3-0). Neutral court win against Elon (3-2). True road losses to Clemson (3-0), Kennesaw State (3-2), and Georgia (3-0). Neutral court losses to South Carolina Upstate (3-1), Troy, Purdue, NC State, and Harvard (all 3-0). Home loss to Western Carolina (3-0).
The Bulldogs are 2-9.
Remaining non-conference schedule: An invitational jointly hosted by Jacksonville and North Florida (held at Jacksonville), where they will also face Nicholls State, and a home match against Wofford.
Key players: The Bulldogs didn’t place anyone on the preseason non-conference selection. Their leading scorer so far is sophomore outside hitter Shelby Erickson (jersey #15). Junior Christine Lakatos (jersey #11) is right behind and is a prolific server, getting three aces every two matches so far. Freshman Amanda Powers (jersey #4) and junior Katie Davis (jersey #5) look to have a 6-2 set up at the setter position.
Winthrop Eagles
Sixth place in the conference regular season last year (17-13, 7-7). Conference tournament quarterfinal loss to High Point (3-0).
Preseason coaches’ poll pick: 5th
Results to date: True road win against Charlotte (3-2). Neutral court wins against Rutgers (3-0), South Florida (3-2), and Troy (3-1). Home wins against Furman (3-2) and Davidson (3-0). True road losses against Air Force (3-0) and Auburn (3-2). Neutral court losses against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and Cal (both 3-1). Home losses to Clemson (3-1) and South Carolina (3-0).
The Eagles are 6-6.
Remaining non-conference schedule: An invitational hosted by Wake Forest, where they’ll also face Elon and Western Carolina. They also have a non-conference match in the midst of conference season, hosting South Carolina Upstate on a Tuesday in advance of weekend conference play.
Key players: Winthrop had no selections on the preseason all-conference team. They remain a patchwork quilt of transfers, though less so than a season ago. They’ve also become an international team, as senior outside hitter Alina Sopizhuk (jersey #9) from the Ukraine leads them in scoring in this early season. Junior middle blocker Rachel Lenz (jersey #15) is off to a strong start, well above a block per set so far. The Eagles could use some improvement in setting and defence, though, as they’re behind their competitors there.
Presbyterian Blue Hose
Seventh place in the conference regular season last year (9-22, 7-7). Conference tournament quarterfinal loss to Coastal Carolina (3-0).
Preseason coaches’ poll pick: 9th
Results to date: True road win against Hampton (3-2). Neutral court wins against North Carolina Central (3-0), Wofford (3-1), and Davidson (3-1). True road losses to Northern Illinois (3-1), Wake Forest (3-1), and Appalachian State (3-0). Neutral court losses to Northwestern, Colorado, and Georgetown (all 3-0).
The Blue Hose have not yet played a home match, and are 4-6 in the early going.
Remaining non-conference schedule: Home matches against Furman and South Carolina Upstate, and a road match against Clemson late into the season.
Key players: Counter-intuitively, the Blue Hose have a preseason all-conference pick, fifth-year senior libero Mary Trimpe (jersey #4). She’s up over 4 and a half digs per in the early season, one of the best figures in the league. Middle blocker Rachel Hall (jersey #2) leads the scoring, while Kelly Berryman (jersey #15) is the top blocker. Both are seniors.
Gardner-Webb Bulldogs
Eighth place in the conference regular season last year (15-18, 6-8). Conference tournament quarterfinal loss to Radford (3-0).
Preseason coaches’ poll pick: 8th
Results to date: No true road wins. Neutral court wins against Providence (3-0) and Texas State (3-1). Home win against Charlotte (3-2). True road losses to South Carolina (3-0), Niagara (3-2), Furman (3-2), and Texas Tech (3-0). Neutral court losses to Georgia Tech (3-0), Jacksonville (3-1), West Virginia (3-0), and Incarnate Word (3-0). Home loss to Appalachian State (3-1).
The Bulldogs are 3-9.
Remaining non-conference schedule: An invitational they co-host with Wofford, at which they will also face South Carolina Upstate, Tennessee Tech, North Carolina A&T, and Savannah State, as well as a single match against Western Carolina.
Key players: Gardner-Webb have no preseason all-conference selections. Senior middle blocker Tyler Cockrell (who stands a scant 5-foot-9; jersey #11) leads the scoring so far. She also leads the team in blocking, so hey, mad hops. Junior libero Anna Pashkova (jersey #3) would rightly earn some seasonal honours if she kept her current digging rate up over a full season (edging towards 5). In a bit of a curiosity, most of the offensive-oriented players on this roster are listed at MB and a pin position — only two (one on each side) are listed as pin hitters. Guess it makes for some offensive diversity.
Campbell Fighting Camels
Ninth place in the conference regular season last year (14-17, 4-10). Did not qualify for the conference tournament.
Preseason coaches’ poll pick: 7th
Results to date: True road win against North Carolina Central (3-0). Neutral court wins against Wofford (3-0) and Valparaiso (3-2). Home wins against North Florida (3-0) and Elon (3-1). True road losses against Duke (3-1), Long Beach State (3-0), and UNC Wilmington (3-2). Neutral court losses against San Francisco (3-1) and Army (3-2). Home loss against South Carolina (3-0).
The Camels are 5-6, winning three, losing six, then winning two.
Remaining non-conference schedule: An invitation hosted by Maryland-Eastern Shore, where they’ll also face Bethune-Cookman, Rider, and Binghamton. They also have two non-conference matches during conference season, hosting Northeastern and North Carolina A&T.
Key players: Junior libero Mary Crema (jersey #5) finds herself on the preseason all-conference selection. She’s been as good as advertised in the early going, digging and serving among the best in the league. Fourth-year junior Alexis Hein (jersey #8) is the leading scorer, listed at both pin positions. Fifth-year senior Jessica Groen (jersey #12) isn’t far behind, with senior middle Lorin Thomas (jersey #17) a capable scorer and blocker. This team would probably be higher-rated if they had a little more depth — there are only 12 girls on the roster.
Charleston Southern Buccaneers
Tenth place in the conference regular season last year (6-24, 0-14). Did not qualify for the conference tournament.
Preseason coaches’ poll pick: 10th
Results to date: True road win against The Citadel (3-1). Neutral court wins against Norfolk State (3-1) and North Carolina A&T (3-0). Home wins against South Carolina State (3-0) and North Carolina Central (3-1). True road loss against James Madison (3-1). Neutral court losses against Villanova (3-0) and Stetson (3-1). Home losses against College of Charleston (3-0), Jacksonville (3-0), and South Carolina Upstate (3-1).
The Bucs are 5-6.
Remaining non-conference schedule: An invitational hosted by Cincinnati, where they’ll also face Central Michigan and Tennessee State, as well as a home-and-home with Savannah State, and home matches at South Carolina State and North Carolina Central, and a home match with something called Columbia College.
Key players: Charleston Southern have no preseason all-conference selections. So far junior middle blocker Meredith Parrott (jersey #2) is hitting like one, notching the better part of 4 kills per set at over .300 efficiency. Hitting and defence are statistically mezzo-mezzo for the Bucs so far; where they need to improve to make something of their season is in service reception. They’ve already allowed 63 service aces, and that doesn’t account for bad passes that aren’t aces.
SWAG NCAA tournament representatives
I don’t see any reason not to go with Radford. Frankly I like some of the other teams down the coaches’ poll a little bit more than Coastal Carolina. Notwithstanding the whole “one bad day in a conference tourney” thing, I’d kind of expect them to run away with it.
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