Wingate Becomes First SAC Team To Make AVCA National Poll

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The Wingate University volleyball team is the number 24 team in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) NCAA Division II Coaches top 25 poll. Wingate is the first South Atlantic Conference team in the league's 21-year history to earn a national ranking.

"It is great for our program to be recognized nationally," Wingate head coach Shelton Collier says. "We have been a dominant program in our region in recent years. This is new notoriety for us…to be ranked in the national poll."

Wingate (24-1 overall, 11-0 SAC) is the number one ranked team in the Southeast Region, riding a 12-match winning streak. The Bulldogs have also won 41 consecutive conference matches and 68 of their last 70 regular season contests. They are 88-5 overall dating back to the beginning of the 2007 season, good for a .946 winning percentage which leads all of NCAA Division II.

The Bulldogs won their third consecutive SAC regular season and tournament title last fall. Wingate was the number one ranked team in the Southeast Region the entire season, earning the right to host the regional tournament. Middle blocker Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas) became the program's second AVCA All-American in 2008.

Gale, setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) and libero Maggie Malone (Chicago, Ill.) earned All-Region laurels in 2008. The reigning SAC Specialist of the Week, Willis was named the SAC Freshman of the Year and the AVCA Southeast Regional Freshman of the Year last season.

The Bulldogs are getting it done in the classroom as well. Wingate earned the AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2008 season. The 2008 Wingate volleyball team members held a 3.352 cumulative GPA.

Eleven team members were named to the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll last year. Gale, libero Chelsea Cancelliere (Richboro, Pa.) and middle blocker Rebecca Bloemer (Louisville, Ky.) represented Wingate on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III volleyball first team (college division) in 2008.

The members of the College Sports Information Directors of America selected the Bulldog trio for these honors. Wingate was one of only three schools nationwide with three ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District first team members in 2008. The other schools with three first team members were the University of Nebraska (University Division, District VII) and Texas Woman's University (College Division, District VI).

Wingate has three matches this week. The Bulldogs travel to Brevard College Wednesday night for a 7 p.m. match. Wingate visits Lander University for a pair of matches Saturday. The Bulldogs take on the host LU Bearcats at 11 a.m. and then face Francis Marion University at 5 p.m. The Bulldogs' next home match is Saturday, Oct. 31, when Wingate hosts Newberry College at 5 p.m.