Skip Ad

Women's Volleyball

NYU-Poly is Unanimous Choice as Preseason Favorite in Women's Volleyball

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. – Coming off an unbeaten season in conference play, Polytechnic Institute of NYU has been selected as the unanimous preseason favorite in the Skyline Conference women's volleyball coaches' preseason poll.  The Fighting Blue Jays, who went 25-10 overall last season, recorded 10 first-place votes and 100 points to claim the top honor.

NYU-Poly did not drop a match in Skyline play in 2009, going 9-0 during the regular season and then winning a pair of match in the conference tournament to earn the school's first NCAA tournament bid in any sport.  The Fighting Blue Jays return the majority of their lineup from last season, including four all-conference players.  Senior Meredith Shipman, junior Victoria Kalvert and sophomore Corey Loupee all earned All-Skyline Conference honors last season.  All three players earned Skyline Rookie of the Year honors as freshmen.  Kalvert was selected as Player of the Year last season while Shipman earned Most Valuable Player honors in the Skyline tournament.  Freshman setter Nicole Breitbart earned All-Skyline second-team honors.

St. Joseph's, which finished second during the regular season in 2009, was picked second with 89 points.  The Golden Eagles went 20-15 last season, qualifying for the ECAC Metro/Upstate Tournament.  Junior outside hitter Melissa O'Connell and senior libero Shannon Dempsey both earned All-Skyline Conference honors a year ago.

Sage, picked third with 83 points, won Skyline Conference titles in 2007 and 2008 before falling to NYU-Poly in a five-set thriller in the conference championship match last season.  Senior middle blocker Nicole Corbett, an All-Skyline first-team selection, is a force in the middle for the Gators.  A traditionally strong defensive team, Sage will also have to replace graduated senior outside hitter Kellie Jones, an All-Skyline second-team selection.

Mount Saint Mary was picked fourth with 73 points.  Senior middle blocker Elizabeth Douress was an All-Skyline second-team selection for the Knights last season.

SKYLINE CONFERENCE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
2010 PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL

1. NYU-Poly           (10) 100 
2. St. Joseph's-L.I.        89 
3. Sage                 (1) 83 
4. Mount Saint Mary         73 
5. Old Westbury             57 
6. Mount Saint Vincent      54 
7. Farmingdale State        47 
8. Purchase                 43 
9. Bard                     29 
10. Maritime                19
11. Yeshiva                 11 
(first-place votes in parentheses)