College volleyball: Catawba has 3 on All-SAC preseason team
Published 1:15 am Wednesday, August 21, 2024
- Catawba libero Riley Hill (East Rowan)
Kelcie Love
South Atlantic Conference Sports Information
ROCK HILL, S.C. – For a 19th straight season, the Wingate Bulldogs have been tabbed the preseason favorites in the 2024 SAC coaches poll.
Wingate claimed the 2023 regular season crown with a 17-1 record. However, it was Tusculum that won the SAC Tournament, the first title in program history, by topping Wingate 3-1 in the championship match.
The Bulldogs earned 11 first place votes and earned 143 points in the coaches poll.
Catawba has three ladies on the All-SAC preseason team, including Kelcie Love (West Rowan), Riley Hill (East Rowan and Jordan Danielson (Florida).
Trailing Wingate in the poll is Anderson, which earned the other two first place votes and totaled 126 points. Anderson finished the year with a 28-6 mark and was 16-2 in league play.
Lenoir-Rhyne was voted third with 120 points, just six behind the Trojans. The Bears went to the NCAA Tournament in 2023 but fell to the Bulldogs in the first round. L-R is looking for its third trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2021. Lenoir-Rhyne is coached by former South Rowan standout Nicole Barringer.
Coming in at fourth in the poll is the defending SAC tournament champion Tusculum Pioneers. Under first-year head coach Hannah Barrett the Pioneers earned 109 points.
At the number five spot is Carson-Newman with 96 points, followed closely by Catawba with 93 points.
Poll: 1. Wingate (11) 143, 2. Anderson 126 (2), 3. Lenoir-Rhyne 120, 4. Tusculum 109, 5. Carson-Newman 96, 6. Catawba 93, 7. Mars Hill 82, 8. Limestone 68, 9. Lincoln Memorial 51, 10. Newberry 44, 11. Emory & Henry 38, 12. UVA Wose 32, 13. Coker 12.
Preseason First Team
Emmaleigh Allen, Lenoir-Rhyne
Laela Jimenez, Mars Hill (L)
Kathy Peter, Lenoir-Rhyne
Emily Johnson, Wingate
Katilyn Grant, Mars Hill
Brantley Chipley, Anderson
Kristen Moehring, Lincoln Memorial
Gabby Saye, Wingate
Second Team
Riley Hill, Catawba (L)
Madison Adkins, Tusculum
Sydney Karjala, Lenoir-Rhyne
Tatum Riddle, Limestone
Kaylee Scarce, UVA Wise
Sydney Morland, Wingate
Mia McMillen, Limestone
Jordan Danielson, Catawba
Third Team
Lyndsie Warren, Lenoir-Rhyne (L)
Martina Foster, Tusculum
Grace Duey, Emory & Henry
Lorna Stacherski, Wingate
Whitney Thompson, Tusculum
Olivia Crowl, Tusculum
Cassidy Farley, UVA Wise
Kelcie Love, Catawba