BOSTON - Winners of eight of the last 12 America East Volleyball regular-season titles, the University at Albany Great Danes have been selected as the favorites to return to the top of the standings in the 2016 Preseason Coaches' Poll, the conference office announced Wednesday. The voting was conducted by the conference’s seven head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
Albany, which has reached the title match in each of the past two seasons and 11 of the last 12 championships overall, received 35 points and five first-place votes. The three-time reigning champion New Hampshire Wildcats were picked second with 30 points and one first-place vote. The Wildcats and Great Danes have met in the last two America East title matches. Here is the full poll:
2016 #AEVB Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Albany, 35 (5)
2. New Hampshire, 30 (1)
3. Stony Brook, 26 (1)
4. Binghamton, 22
5. UMBC, 17
6. Hartford, 10
7. UMass Lowell, 7
Albany has been picked as the favorite in all four America East fall sports that conduct preseason coaches' polls (men's and women's soccer, field hockey and volleyball), becoming the first school to accomplish that feat. Volleyball matches around the country begin on Friday, August 26.