Wingate Voted Favorite to Win 2017 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Title
ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) –The Wingate Volleyball team has been picked to win the 2017 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Championship, the League announced today. Wingate picked up 10 first-place votes and 100 points from the panel as member institutions aren't allowed to vote for their own teams.
The Bulldogs claimed the 2016 South Atlantic Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships as they turned in an 18-4 record in League play and a 29-6 overall mark. Wingate received the SAC's automatic bid to the 2016 NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championship.
Lincoln Memorial finished second in the poll with 81 points, followed by Anderson with 76 points. Lincoln Memorial closed out the 2016 campaign at 25-9 overall and 17-5 in the SAC. The Railsplitters advanced to the 2016 SAC Volleyball Championship Final and earned an at-large pick to the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship in 2016. Anderson went 19-12 a season ago and posted a 15-7 record in the Conference. The Trojans picked up one top vote from the panel.
Queens came in at No. 4 in the preseason poll with 75 points. The Royals closed out their 2016 season with a 22-10 overall record, including a 16-6 record against SAC foes. Queens earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Volleyball Championship where it made a historic run to the Southeast Region Finals.
At No. 5 in the poll was Lenoir-Rhyne with 65 points, ahead of Newberry, who collected 61 points. The Bears were 12-18 overall last season and were 10-12 in SAC play. The Wolves put up a 20-12 overall record in 2016 to go along with a 16-6 record in the League.
Tusculum recorded 49 points to land at No. 7 in the poll, ahead of Catawba at No. 8 with 35 points. The Pioneers closed out their 2016 season with a 12-19 overall record and a mark of 7-15 in League action. The Catawba Indians notched a 16-13 overall record and a 13-9 SAC record a season ago.
Carson-Newman finished at No. 9 in the poll with 28 points, while Mars Hill (22 points) and Coker (11 points) rounded out the 2017 South Atlantic Conference Preseason Volleyball Poll.
The preseason first and second teams were also announced today. Anderson led the way with three student-athletes on the first team, followed by Lenoir-Rhyne with two players on the first team. Wingate, Lincoln Memorial and Tusculum rounded out the first team with one selection each.
Rachel Burts, Emily Conlin and Marissa Mitter represented Anderson on the first team. Burts led the League with 36 solo blocks and 121 total blocks during the 2016 season. She also chipped in 269 kills and topped the SAC with a .326 average at the net. Conlin led all SAC setters with 10.30 assists per set and ranked first the South Atlantic Conference with 51 total aces. Mitter closed out her 2016 season ranked No. 3 in the League with 390 totals kills and came in at No. 5 in the Conference with 3.31 kills per set.
For Lenoir-Rhyne, Brook Redmond was No. 3 in the League during the 2016 season with 3.36 kills per set as she finished the year with 282 total kills. Teammate Emily Steele ranked No. 2 in the SAC with 32 solo blocks, while ranking No. 3 with 109 total blocks. Steele also chipped in 242 kills for the Bears.
Lincoln Memorial's Samantha Cash found the floor for 361 kills to rank No. 5 in the League a season ago. She also hit .299 to place at No. 4 in the SAC during the 2016 campaign.
Oakley Attaway finished the 2016 season ranked No. 10 in the League with 329 kills for Wingate to go along with 176 digs.
Tusculum libero Melissa Mazur came up with 589 digs last season to pace at No. 6 in the League, while her 5.77 digs per set were good for No. 2 in the South Atlantic Conference.
The 2017 South Atlantic Conference volleyball season begins Friday, Sept. 1.
2017 SAC Volleyball Preseason Poll
| Rank | School (First-Place Vote) | Total |
| 1 | Wingate (10) | 100 |
| 2 | Lincoln Memorial | 81 |
| 3 | Anderson (1) | 76 |
| 4 | Queens | 75 |
| 5 | Lenoir-Rhyne | 65 |
| 6 | Newberry | 61 |
| 7 | Tusculum | 49 |
| 8 | Catawba | 35 |
| 9 | Carson-Newman | 28 |
| 10 | Mars Hill | 22 |
| 11 | Coker | 13 |
2017 SAC Volleyball Preseason All-Conference
First Team
Oakley Attaway, Wingate
Rachel Burts, Anderson
Emily Conlin, Anderson
Marissa Mitter, Anderson
Samantha Cash, Lincoln Memorial
Brooke Redmond, Lenoir-Rhyne
Emily Steele, Lenoir-Rhyne
DS: Melissa Mazur, Tusculum
Second Team
Kiera Holland, Lincoln Memorial
Rachel Alles, Wingate
Rebecca Cochran, Queens
Katie Bludau, Wingate
Serena Jackson, Anderson
Sydney Kunz, Queens
Tone Gill, Lincoln Memorial
DS: Treslyn Ortiz, Wingate