Post by FU73 on Aug 20, 2018 11:37:28 GMT -5
Fairfield University Volleyball, the three-time defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Champion, has earned the top spot in the 2018 MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced this morning by the conference office. In addition, junior setter Manuela Nicolini was recognized as the MAAC Preseason Co-Player of the Year and garnered a Preseason All-MAAC selection alongside teammates Taylor Rudeen and Luci Albertson.
Fairfield has gone 18-0 in each of the last two seasons. The Stags collected nine first-place votes and 97 points to claim the top spot in the poll.
Iona got the remaining first-place vote and is second in the poll with 84 points. The Gaels fell to the Stags in last season’s championship match. Marist College (77 points) rounds out the top three. The Red Foxes were eliminated by the Stags in the semifinals last season.
Quinnipiac University (65 points) and Niagara University (56) were picked fourth and fifth. Quinnipiac finished sixth in the regular season in 2017 while Niagara finished second behind Fairfield.
Rider University (51), Siena College (43), and Canisius College (39) make up spots sixth, seventh and eight respectively. Rider finished fifth in the regular season last year. Manhattan (24) and Saint Peter’s (14) round out the 10-team poll.
Fairfield Volleyball opens to the 2018 campaign on Aug. 24-25 at the Tropical Smoothie Invitational at James Madison University. The Stags will start the season against a pair of 2017 NCAA postseason teams in the host Dukes – the reigning CAA Champions – and the SEC's Missouri Tigers. The weekend concludes against Delaware State before action comes to George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall for the first time in 2018 with a visit from Sacred Heart on Wednesday, Aug. 29 at 7:00 p.m.
www.maacsports.com/news/2018/8/20/fairfield-picked-as-maac-volleyball-preseason-favorite-ionas-archibald-fairfields-nicolini-named-preseason-co-player-of-the-year.aspx
