The South Atlantic Conference Announces 2016 Volleyball Preseason Poll & All-SAC

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) –The Wingate Volleyball team has been picked to win the 2016 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Championship, the League announced today. The Bulldogs were one of three teams to represent the South Atlantic Conference in the 2015 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship. Wingate received an at large bid to the tournament and turned in a 28-5 overall record and a 20-2 SAC record a season ago. Wingate picked up nine first-place votes and 119 points from the panel as member institutions aren't allowed to vote for their own teams.

Lenoir-Rhyne notched 111 points to place second in the poll, followed by Lincoln Memorial who notched 94 points and finished third.

The Bears earned an automatic bid to the 2015 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship after closing out the season with a win over Wingate University in the 2015 SAC Volleyball Finals. Lenoir-Rhyne finished the season at 25-8 overall and 18-4 in South Atlantic Conference action. Lincoln Memorial finished up its 2015 season at 16-14 overall and 12-10 in the League.

Carson-Newman came in at No. 4 in the voting with 81 points, ahead of Tusculum who picked up 73 points.

The Eagles closed out its 2015 season with a 29-8 overall mark and an 18-4 record in the South Atlantic Conference.  Last season Carson-Newman went on a historical run as the Eagles reached the National Quarterfinals of the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship. The Eagles advanced to the NCAA Tournament as an at-large representative.

The Tusculum College Pioneers ended their 2015 campaign at 11-17 overall and   8-14 in Conference action.

Catawba College placed sixth and received 69 points, followed by Queens University of Charlotte in seventh, totaling 65 points.

Catawba went 15-15 overall and 12-10 in the Conference in 2015.  The Royals turned in a 13-16 overall record and an 11-11 record in SAC play.

Anderson University placed eighth in the 2016 preseason poll after finishing 11-18 overall and 9-13 in SAC contests. Newberry College accumulated 46 points in the poll, which placed them ninth. Newberry finished the 2015 season at 12-16 overall and 8-14 in the conference.

Mars Hill (33 points), Brevard (30 points) and Coker (15 points) rounded out the list.

The preseason first and second teams were also announced today.  Tusculum led the way with two student-athletes on the first team, while Carson-Newman, Wingate, Lenoir-Rhyne, Anderson, Lincoln Memorial, and Queens each posted one first-team selection.

Wingate All-American Abby Saehler highlights the first team as she finished the season with 72 blocks, 4.2 points per set, a .324 hitting percentage and 3.47 kills per set.

Carson-Newman's Anna Patton joined Saehler of the first team after she recorded 1430 assists in 37 matches and 136 sets.

Tusculum teammates Rachel Garnett and Melissa Mazur both made the First Team All-Conference list. Garnett closed her 2015 campaign with 292 kills and averaged 3.1 points per set, while Mazur came away with 711 digs, and lead the nation with 6.84 digs per set.

Anderson's Serena Jackson earned first-team preseason honors after posting 284 kills and .290 hitting percentage.

Keira Holland represented Lincoln Memorial for the second consecutive year on the first-team as she turned in 282 kills, four aces and 2.26 digs per set in 2015.

Lenoir-Rhyne's Brooke Redmond totaled 401 kills and played in 33 matches last season to earn first-team preseason honors.

Meredith Jones from Queens closed out the list of first-team honorees.  During the 2015 campaign, Jones led her squad with 423 points while she found the floor for 349 kills.  She also chipped in 256 digs and 56 blocks.

The 2016 South Atlantic Conference volleyball season begins Friday, Sept. 2.

2016 SAC Volleyball Preseason Poll

1^st Team

Anna Patton, Carson-Newman
Abby Saehler, Wingate
Brooke Redmond, Lenoir-Rhyne
Serena Jackson, Anderson
Rachel Garnett, Tusculum
Kiera Holland, Lincoln Memorial
Meredith Jones, Queens
Melissa Mazur, Tusculum

2^nd Team

Natalie Harris, Carson-Newman
Marissa Mitter, Anderson
Bri Howard, Catawba
Oakley Attaway, Wingate
Logan Hayward, Newberry
Emily Steele, Lenoir-Rhyne
Kori Adams, Wingate
Kimberly Hovey, Wingate