AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Augusta University women's volleyball team was chosen to finish sixth in the Peach Belt Conference preseason coaches poll, released Wednesday morning from the league offices in Augusta, Ga.
With the 2016 season less than two weeks away, the Peach Belt Conference revealed the poll that is voted on by the leagues head coaches. Flagler returns to the top of the poll with six first-place votes and 77 total points, eight ahead of second-place Armstrong State. USC Aiken was third with Lander and Montevallo tied for fourth. Augusta, Francis Marion, Georgia College, Columbus State and UNC Pembroke rounded out the voting.
Flagler returns six seniors from that squad including outside hitter Megan Hooks. Also back is junior All-Conference middle hitter Sara Davis and junior outside hitter Taja Valmyr, the PBC Tournament MVP. Also returning is sophomore setter Tara Savisky, named the PBC co-Freshman of the Year and co-Setter of the Year last season.
Armstrong State finished tied with Flagler at 13-5 in the league standings in 2015 and extended their NCAA Tournament appearance streak to eight straight years. USC Aiken won their first PBC regular-season championship since 2007 last year and hosted the PBC Tournament and the NCAA regional.
The Jaguars ended the season in seventh place in the PBC last season with a 19-14 overall record and an 8-10 mark in the league. Fresh off a trip to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Quarterfinals and a No. 10 regional ranking, Augusta returns seven players from 2015 including five starters. The team also signed seven new student-athletes for the new season.
Augusta's new season begins for the third straight year at the Queens Invitational Sept. 2-3 on the campus of Queens University of Charlotte in Charlotte, N.C. The Jags play four non-conference matches to commence the year in the two-day tournament.
The 2016 volleyball preseason coaches poll is below as selected by the league's head coaches. Teams were given nine points for a first-place vote, eight for second and so on. Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams
Rank |
Team |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
Total |
|
1. |
Flagler |
6 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
77 |
|
2. |
Armstrong State |
3 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
69 |
|
3. |
USC Aiken |
1 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
67 |
|
t4. |
Lander |
0 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
55 |
|
t4. |
Montevallo |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
55 |
|
6. |
Augusta |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
39 |
|
7. |
Francis Marion |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
32 |
|
8. |
Georgia College |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
25 |
|
9. |
Columbus State |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
22 |
|
10. |
UNC Pembroke |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
9 |
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