 |  |
UMass Boston Unanimous Choice As Little East Volleyball Favorite
NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The University
of Massachusetts Boston has unanimously been selected as the
favorite to capture the Little East Conference volleyball
championship after each of the eight conference head coaches' voted
in the 2011 preseason survey. The Beacons are the first program in
the 12-year history of the volleyball preseason coaches' poll to
earn each of the eight first place votes.
Keene State College is the clear-cut choice to finish second in
the team standings after receiving each of the eight second place
tallies for 56 points. Plymouth State University edged Western
Connecticut State University for third place with 45 points, while
the Colonials completed the top-half of the eight-team poll with 43
markers.
Under the direction of Terry Condon, UMass Boston solidified
itself as a national and regional power in 2010. The Beacons made
their debut in the American Volleyball Coaches' Association (AVCA)
Division III Top-25 poll at No. 24 during the October 12 rankings
and completed the campaign at No. 17. Making its second-straight
appearance in the NCAA Division III New England Regional
Tournament, UMass Boston quickly dispatched Maine Maritime in three
straight games in the quarterfinal round. The Beacons defeated
Middlebury College 3-1 to reach the regional championship match for
the first time in program history. Condon led her charges to a
hard-fought five-set victory over host Springfield College to raise
the regional trophy and earn a berth into the eight-team national
championship round at Washington University (Mo.). UMass Boston saw
its foray into the national tournament end in the quarterfinals
against No. 10 Calvin College, the eventual NCAA Champion.
UMass Boston is making its third consecutive appearance atop the
preseason survey. The Beacons posted an overall record of 30-5 to
match the program record for single-season wins, tying the 2009
squad. For the second-straight season, UMass Boston sported a 7-0
mark within the Little East Conference circuit. The Beacons earned
the top seed and home-court advantage in the conference
championship tournament. UMass Boston raised its current home
winning streak to 29 matches by defeating Western Connecticut (3-0)
and Keene State College (3-1). The victory over the Owls marked the
program's second consecutive Little East volleyball
championship.
Condon will welcome back eight student-athletes, including six
starters, from the 2010 team. The Beacons will be led by two-time
AVCA All-American Shannon Thompson (Moorpark, Calif.). Thompson
established a new single-season standard for kills (494) en route
to earning the Little East Offensive Player of the Year Award.
UMass Boston will open its 2011 schedule with a training trip to
Hawaii before facing Bowdoin College on Sept. 9.
Keene State will enter the 2011 season looking to continue to ride
the momentum of winning the program's first Eastern College
Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Northeast Championship last
fall. In 2010, Bob Weiner guided the Owls to an overall record of
27-15, marking the fourth time in the past five seasons his squad
has reached the 25-win plateau. Keene State boasted a 6-1 record in
the conference circuit to earn the No. 2 seed in the Little East
Championship. The Owls edged intra-state rival Plymouth State in
five sets in the semifinals before bowing out to the Beacons.
Weiner and his charges regrouped the following week to oust the
Panthers in the ECAC semifinals and advance to the regional
championship match against host Endicott College. Keene State
captured the ECAC Championship with a 3-1 victory over the Gulls
the following afternoon.
In 2011, Weiner will welcome 12 student-athletes, including seven
starters, back into the fold. The Owls will sport three All-Little
East selections on their 2011 roster, including first-team pick
Bridget O'Bryant (Merrimack, N.H.). O'Bryant is just one of four
student-athletes that recorded over 100 kills last season. Keene
State will showcase its powerful offensive attack in a rematch of
the ECAC title game against Endicott College on Sept. 3.
The top-six teams in the final regular season standings advance to
the 2011 Little East Volleyball Championship Tournament with the
top-two teams earning a first round bye. The top seed in the
tournament field will host the semifinal and championship rounds on
Nov. 4-5. The conference champion will earn the automatic qualifier
into the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Completing the annual preseason coaches' survey in projected order
of finish in the regular seasons standings are University of
Massachusetts Dartmouth (29), Eastern Connecticut State University
(25), Rhode Island College (18), and the University of Southern
Maine (8).
Initially formed in 1986 as a six-team men's and women's
basketball conference, the Little East Conference will begin its
26th season of sponsoring intercollegiate athletic programs in
2011-2012. Western Connecticut State University joined the
conference in 1993-1994, while Keene State College raised its
current membership to eight teams in 1997-1998.
|
2011 Little East Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll |
|||
|
Rank |
Institution |
1st Place |
Total Points |
|
1 |
University of Massachusetts Boston |
8 |
64 |
|
2 |
Keene State College |
|
56 |
|
3 |
Plymouth State University |
|
45 |
|
4 |
Western Connecticut State University |
|
43 |
|
5 |
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth |
|
29 |
|
6 |
Eastern Connecticut State University |
|
25 |
|
7 |
Rhode Island College |
|
18 |
|
8 |
University of Southern Maine |
|
8 |
