Wingate Picked To Win 2009 SAC Volleyball Title

ROCK HILL, SC - Wingate University, which has won the conference volleyball championship for the past three years, is the favorite to capture a fourth straight title, according to a vote of the league's head coaches.

Wingate received eight first-place votes and 80 total points. Wingate has gone 30-0 against conference opponents during the regular season the past two seasons.

The Bulldogs placed four on the preseason All-Conference volleyball team, which was also announced. Stormi Gale, the most valuable player in the 2008 Food Lion SAC Tournament, was named to the first team, along with Liz Willis, the 2009 SAC Freshman of the Year and Maggie Malone at the Libero position. Lauren Billo was named to the second team. Willis led the SAC in assists last season.

Carson-Newman College is picked to finish second with 64 points. The Lady Eagles placed three on the preseason All-Conference team. Carly Mozgai and Katie Troyer were both named to the first team, while Stephanie Cutter was named to the second team. Troyer had a .317 hitting percentage last season, which ranked fourth in the conference, while Mozgai averaged 2.71 kills per set.

Lincoln Memorial University, which advanced to the tournament finals last season, is picked to finish third, just one point behind Carson-Newman. The Lady Railsplitters received 63 total points.

LMU also placed three on the preseason All-Conference team. Amanda Horenkamp was named to the first team, while Kodi Cartwright and Alicia MacIntyre were named to the second team. Horenkamp averaged 3.06 kills per set last season, while MacIntyre, a Libero, led the conference in digs at 4.46 per set.

Catawba College is fourth in the poll with 53 points. The Catawba Indians advanced to the Southeast Region championship of the NCAA Tournament last season and return preseason All-Conference second team member Mai Zoua Lo. She was third in the conference in digs last season at 3.98 per set.

Newberry College is the pick to finish fourth with 42 total points. Newberry also received one first-place vote. Newberry is represented on the preseason All-Conference team by first-team selection Lorena Maia, who led the conference in service aces, and second-team selection Frenanda Frey.

Sixth place in the poll is a tie between Lenoir-Rhyne University and Tusculum College, each with 36 points. Each placed one on the preseason All-Conference team.

Kassi Henry is a second-team selection for the Bears. She averaged 2.25 kills per set last season.

Peyton Colclough is a second-team selection for the Pioneers. She was second in the conference in assists last season at 9.37 per set.

Mars Hill College is picked to finish eighth with 16 points, while Brevard College was close behind with 15 points.

Brevard's Brooke Seaman, a first-team selection, rounds out the preseason All-Conference team. Seaman led the conference with a .340 hitting percentage last season.

The 2009 volleyball season begins Thursday, August 27 with Lenoir-Rhyne hosting King. The rest of the league is in action on Friday, August 28, including tournaments at Carson-Newman, Lenoir-Rhyne and Tusculum.

The Food Lion SAC Tournament will be held at Tusculum, with quarterfinal play on Friday, November 13. The semifinals are Saturday, November 14, with the championship set for Sunday, November 15 at 2 p.m. The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II Tournament.

2009 SAC PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL POLL

1. Wingate (8) 80
2. Carson-Newman 64
3. Lincoln Memorial 63
4. Catawba 53
5. Newberry (1) 42
6. Lenoir-Rhyne 36
6. (tie) Tusculum 36
8. Mars Hill 16
9. Brevard 15
(First place votes in parenthesis)

2009 SAC PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM
Brooke Seaman, Brevard
Carly Mozgai, Carson-Newman
Katie Troyer, Carson-Newman
Amanda Horenkamp, Lincoln Memorial
Lorena Maia, Newberry
Stormi Gale, Wingate
Liz Willis, Wingate
Maggie Malone, Wingate (Libero)

SECOND TEAM
Stephanie Cutter, Carson-Newman
Mai Zoua Lo, Catawba
Kassi Henry, Lenoir-Rhyne
Kodi Cartwright, Lincoln Memorial
Fernanda Frey, Newberry
Peyton Colclough, Tusculum
Lauren Billo, Wingate
Alicia MacIntyre, Lincoln Memorial (Libero)