Atlantic Sun Releases Volleyball Preseason Poll

MACON, Ga. – The Atlantic Sun conference office released the annual volleyball preseason coaches’ poll on Thursday afternoon and Mercer has been picked to finish eighth among league opponents.

Lipscomb was selected as the overwhelming favorite to repeat as both regular season and tournament champions.  The Lady Bisons collected 10 first-place votes, nearly missing a unanimous first-place selection.

Lipscomb (120) beat out Florida Gulf Coast (103), Belmont (97), and Jacksonville (90) to earn the top-spot in the poll.  Jacksonville gathered the only first-place vote not dedicated to the Lady Bisons.

Kennesaw State (67) and Campbell (60) landed the fifth and sixth spots, respectively, while East Tennessee State (59) edged out Mercer (49) for the seventh spot.

North Florida (47), USC Upstate (22) and Stetson (12) rounded out the 11-team field.

Points are awarded in descending order, with a first-place vote being worth 11 points and an 11th-place vote being worth one point.

The poll marks the first time since 2008 that Mercer has not had a player named to the preseason All-Atlantic Sun Team.  That season, Mercer was picked sixth in the preseason poll before finishing 18-11 (13-7 A-Sun).

Mercer begins the 2010 season on August 27 versus Eastern Washington in Seattle, Wash.  The Bears’ conference slate starts October 1 in a road test versus Lipscomb.