Wingate Picked To Win 2008 SAC Volleyball Title

ROCK HILL, SC - Defending two-time regular season and tournament champion Wingate University, which has made four trips to the NCAA Tournament in the last five years, is picked to win the 2008 South Atlantic Conference volleyball title, according to a vote of the league's nine head coaches.

Wingate received eight first-place votes and 80 total points out of a maximum possible 81.

The Bulldogs placed four on the preseason All-Conference volleyball team, which was also announced. Sophomore Stormi Gale, the 2007 SAC Freshman of the Year, is joined on the first team by sophomore Rebecca Bloemer and senior Kathryn Reddick. Reddick was second in the league last year in hitting percentage (.324), while Bloember was third (.316). Chelsea Cancelliere was named to the second team at the Libero position.

Catawba College is picked to finish second. The Catawba Indians received 66 total points.

Senior Melissa Powers, who led the SAC last year in hitting percentage (.347) and kills (5.27) was named to the first team, as was senior Melissa Griffith.

Carson-Newman College, which advanced to the championship game of last year's Food Lion SAC Tournament, is picked to finish third. The Eagles received 59 points.

Senior Kelsey Fleck, an All-Tournament selection last year, was named to the preseason All-Conference second team.

Tusculum College, which finished second in the league last year, is picked to finish fourth. The Pioneers received 50 total points. Tusculum will be under the direction of first-year coach Michael Robinson.

Tusculum placed three on the preseason All-Conference team. Kelsey Hayden, Katie Luebke, and Heather MacArthur were all named to the second team. Hayden was second in the conference in blocks last year, averaging 1.49 per game, while MacArthur ranked fifth in the league at 1.12.

Lenoir-Rhyne University is fifth in the preseason poll. The Bears received 43 points.

Katie Novacek, a first-team All-Conference performer last season, was named to the preseason All-Conference first team, while Abby Smith was named to the second team. Smith led the team with 3.15 kills per game last season.

Lincoln Memorial University is picked to finish sixth. The Lady Railsplitters received 39 total points.

Alicia MacIntyre, who averaged 4.25 digs per game last season, was named to the preseason All-Conference first team at the Libero position. Amanda Horenkamp, who averaged 3.25 kills per game last year, was named to the second team.

Newberry College is sixth in the poll with 36 points. Newberry did receive one first-place vote.

Newberry will be led by first-year coach David Nicholson. Priscila Sales, who was fifth in the conference last season with 4.03 kills per game, was named to the preseason first team.

Mars Hill College received 20 points.

Brevard College rounds out the poll with 12 points. The Tornados placed Brooke Seaman, who averaged 4.14 kills per game last season, on the preseason All-Conference second team.

The 2008 volleyball season begins Friday, August 29.

The Food Lion SAC Tournament will be held at Mars Hill College. Quarterfinals will be Thursday, November 13, with semifinals on Friday, November 14, and the finals on Saturday, November 15. The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II Tournament.

2008 SAC PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL POLL
Wingate (8) 80
Catawba 66
Carson-Newman 59
Tusculum 50
Lenoir-Rhyne 43
Lincoln Memorial 39
Newberry (1) 36
Mars Hill 20
Brevard 12
(First place votes in parenthesis)

2008 SAC PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM
Melissa Griffith, Senior, Catawba College
Melissa Powers, Senior, Catawba College
Katie Novacek, Senior, Lenoir-Rhyne University
Alicia MacIntyre, Junior, Lincoln Memorial University (Libero)
Priscila Sales, Senior, Newberry College
Rebecca Bloemer, Sophomore, Wingate University
Stormi Gale, Sophomore, Wingate University
Kathryn Reddick, Senior, Wingate University

SECOND TEAM
Brooke Seaman, Junior, Brevard College
Kelsey Fleck, Senior, Carson-Newman College
Abby Smith, Senior, Lenoir-Rhyne University
Amanda Horenkamp, Junior, Lincoln Memorial University
Kelsey Hayden, Senior, Tusculum College
Katie Luebke, Sophomore, Tusculum College
Heather MacArthur, Senior, Tusculum College
Chelsea Cancelliere, Junior, Wingate University (Libero)