CAMBRIDGE, Mass. ? University at Albany topped the 2008 America East Volleyball preseason poll and are the favorite to once again take home the conference crown in November. The Great Danes--winners of three of the past four America East Championships--earned four first-place votes out of a possible six and received 33 total points. The poll was determined by a vote of the league’s seven head coaches.
Albany edged out University of New Hampshire, which finished second in the poll with two first-place votes and 31 points. UMBC nabbed the final first-place vote and 29 points to finish third. Binghamton University (21 points), Stony Brook University (16), University of Hartford (nine) and University of Maine (eight) rounded out the seven-team poll.
The 2008 America East Volleyball Championship will take place either November 21-22 or 22-23 at the top-seeded team’s venue. The top four teams from the regular season will participate in the championship and the winner of the tournament will earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Championship.
Albany (24-10 overall record in 2007, 8-4 America East record) became the first America East squad to win a match in the NCAA Championship last year, defeating Cleveland State, 3-0. The Great Danes got to the NCAAs by virtue of their 3-1 win over Stony Brook in the America East Championship title match. A strong rookie class returns for sophomore campaigns, including the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, setter Brooke Stanley (Hendersonville, N.C./West Henderson), and the Rookie of the Year, outside hitter Amanda Cowdrey (Brampton, Ontario/Cardinal Leger). They hope to complement senior middle blocker Kamisha Kellam (Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara), a first-team all-conference selection who was among the conference leaders last season in hitting percentage (.327), kills (3.24 kpg) and blocks (1.06 bpg).
New Hampshire (19-9, 8-4) returned to the tournament last year for the first time since it won it all in 2003, however the 2007 Wildcats bowed out against Albany in the semifinals. In what was once a very young and talented team two years ago will be a mature and more experienced squad with juniors Alyse Lahti (Pepper Pike, Ohio/Orange), Kate Uitti (Pinckney, Michigan/Pickney), Kirsten Bates (Calgary, Alberta/Bishop Carroll) and Lindsay Fogarty (Pleasanton, Calif./Amador Valley) leading the way. Libero Lahti earned Defensive Specialist of the Year honors in 2007 with 5.19 digs per game. Setter Uitti finished second in America East with 11.80 assists per game and was a second-team all-conference selection a year ago. Bates, an America East first-team all-conference pick, and Fogarty both stand tall up front as middle blockers at 6’0” and 6’3”, respectively.
UMBC (20-12, 5-7) was last year’s preseason coaches’ pick, but injuries played a factor in the Retrievers falling short of the 2007 postseason, making the return of 2005 Rookie of the Year junior outside hitter Sarah Ball (Winnipeg, Canada/Sisler) a welcomed sight for Ian Blanchard’s squad. Junior outside hitter Ashley Oscars (Bakersfield, Calif./Liberty) was the lone UMBC player named to an all-conference team, placing fourth in the conference with 3.60 kills per game. Sophomore middle blocker Bridget Scheetz (St. Louis, Mo./Ursuline Academy) should be a strong presence at the net if she puts up anything close to her 112 assisted blocks in 2007, a single season school record.
Binghamton (16-18, 7-5) seeks its fifth-straight appearance in the America East Championship and a repeat of its 2005 title. The Bearcats return four starters from 2007 in addition to their libero, senior Jaclyn Strader (Kettering, Ohio/Julienne Catholic). 2007 All-Rookies outside hitter Michelle McDonough (Orland Hills, Ill./Andrew) and setter Lindsey Mueller (West Bend, Wis./West Bend West) are two of Binghamton’s top returners. Binghamton will have to replace the production of three-time first-team all-conference pick Jacki Kane, which will presumably come from junior Dawn Lammert who finished second on the team behind Kane with 1.26 blocks per game and a .258 hitting percentage.
Stony Brook (24-8, 11-1) occupied the fifth spot on last year’s preseason poll as well, but had a nearly perfect conference season to claim the regular-season crown. Hoping to pull the same feat, the Seawolves brought in three freshmen and two junior college transfers during the summer. Senior outside hitter Gulce Nazli Dikeclig (Istanbul, Turkey/Saint Benoit French) is the top returner, playing in all 32 matches last season and recording 91 kills and 40 aces.
Hartford (8-23, 1-11) will try to end an 11-year drought of postseason appearances in 2008. Junior Erin Macro returns as one of the Hawks’ top players, finishing second on the team last year with 2.81 kills per game at a .199 clip. Sophomore setter Lindsey Ford (Carson, Nev./Carson) led the team last year in assists (8.45 apg) and service aces (33 aces/0.37 sapg).
Maine (4-23, 2-10) features senior outside hitter Lindsay Allman (St. Louis, Mo./Rockwood Summit), who led the Black Bears in kills (310), kills per game (3.48), aces (36), digs (301), and points per game (4.03). Senior Ashlee Wright filled the libero role last season, playing in all but three games.