Friday, August 17, 2012

PHILIPPI, W.Va. -- Alderson-Broaddus women’s volleyball was picked to finish second in the 2012 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standings in the preseason coaches’ poll released Friday by the conference office.

“We are excited to receive second place in the WVIAC preseason poll,” said Head Coach Carrie Bodkins. “We are optimistic about the season and are working hard to finish at the top of the conference.”

Last season, Bodkins led the Battlers to an 11-3 conference mark, a 20-16 overall record and a trip to the WVIAC Tournament Finals. A-B garnered numerous conference honors including three All-WVIAC Tournament selections, a pair of First Team All-Conference picks, two All-Freshman choices, an Honorable Mention All-Conference pick and the WVIAC Freshman of the Year.

The Battlers return seven upperclassmen including junior libero Jillian Brown, who led the conference in aces a season ago, and junior outside hitter Ashley MacDonald, who posted a team-best 2.26 kills per set in 2011.

Wheeling Jesuit took the top spot in the preseason  poll, corralling 14 of 15 first place votes, Seton Hill ranked third and Shepherd collected one first place voted and was ranked fourth. The full list of projected finishes is listed below.

A-B begins its season August 31 versus Clarion University and Ferris State University in day one of the Ferris State Tournament in Grand Rapids, Mich.  

Place     Team (First-place votes)              Total Points
1.            Wheeling Jesuit (14)                       224
2.            Alderson-Broaddus                        192
3.            Seton Hill                                           178
4.            Shepherd (1)                                     172
5.            West Virginia Wesleyan                  163
6.            Fairmont State                                  154
7.            Charleston                                        153
8.            West Virginia State                          113
9.            Pitt-Johnstown                                  111
10.          Concord                                               88
11.          Davis & Elkins                                     76
12.          West Liberty                                         74
13.          Ohio Valley                                           49
14.          Glenville State                                     38
15.          Bluefield State                                    15