Wingate Earns Top Spot in South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Preseason Poll

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – For the 15^thconsecutive year, Wingate, is selected to win the South Atlantic Conference with 10 first-place votes and 154 points, according to the 2020-21 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll. 

The Bulldogs went 30-3 overall in the 2019 regular season, including 21-1 in the SAC, winning the regular season title. The Bulldogs fell to Carson-Newman in the SAC Championship, but went on to earn a bid and finish their season at the NCAA Division ll Southeast Regional semifinals. 

Queens, coming in at No.2 in the poll collected 121 total points. The Royals finished off the 2019 season with a record of 24-7 overall and 19-3 in conference play. Like Wingate, they too earned a bid to the NCAA Division ll Southeast Region Championship last season where they fell to Flagler in the first round.

Coming in at No. 3 with 137 total points and the remaining three first place votes is the SAC reigning champions, Carson-Newman. The Eagles went 28-8 overall and 16-6 in conference play. They went on to have a very successful postseason run after sweeping Augusta for the Southeast Region title and concluding their season in the National Quarterfinals against Rockhurst.  

Anderson grabs the No. 4 spot with 128 total points after going all the way to the NCAA Southeast Region Tournament where they fell to Wingate. Not far behind in the No. 5 spot is Tusculum with 104 points, Mars Hill at No. 6 with 94 points and Lenoir-Rhyne with 90 points at No. 7.

Taking the No. 8 spot with 71 points is the Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters. Catawba came in at No. 9 with 66 points, Limestone ranked at No. 10 with 63 points and with 57 points at No. 11 was Newberry. 

Rounding out the poll at No. 11 and No. 12 was Coker and UVA Wise with 44 and 24 points respectively.

Accompanying the release of the preseason poll was the announcement of the 2020-21 SAC Volleyball Preseason All-Conference teams. Selected by the league's media relations directors, the preseason all-conference teams feature three players from both Anderson and Queens, two players from Tusculum, Carson-Newman, Wingate and Mars Hill and a single player from Lenoir-Rhyne and Catawba. 

The 2020-21 SAC Women's Volleyball season will commence on February 24, with the SAC Championship being held April 6-7 at the Rock Hill Sport & Event Center. 

2020-21 Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll

2020-21 SAC VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE

First Team
Gabby Gray, Tusculum

Megan Oldenburger, Carson-Newman

Logan Witt, Queens

Emiah Burrowes, Tusculum

Sophie Schaff, Wingate
Casey Tarvin, Queens
Taylor Prall, Lenoir-Rhyne

Ully Martins, Mars Hill (L)

Second Team
Jaycee Jones, Queens (L)

Sarah Goddard, Mars Hill

Regan Duty, Anderson

Noelle Knutsen, Anderson

Kylie Morgan, Catawba

Erin Edwards, Carson-Newman

Maggie Young, Wingate
Maya Learmouth, Anderson

-#MakeSACYours-