USC Aiken Named Volleyball Preseason Favorite

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The USC Aiken Lady Pacers have been named selected as the team to beat in 2007 according to a poll of the league’s head coaches released on Friday. USC Aiken received four out of a possible five first-place votes for 24 points in the poll, finishing ahead of Armstrong Atlantic State who was second. Francis Marion came in third while UNC Pembroke was fourth followed by Lander and Augusta State. For USC Aiken, it is the first time the team has been selected the preseason favorite since 1996.

The Lady Pacers captured a share of the 2006 PBC regular season championship with a 10-2 league mark, won their first PBC Tournament since 1996 and made their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Under PBC Coach of the Year Will Condon, USCA finished 28-7 last year, the fifth-highest win total in the 29-year history of the program. For 2007, the Lady Pacers welcome back four of seven starters including All-Conference middle hitter Mandy Gerolstein. Gerolstein and right-side hitter Missy Deardorff were both named to the 2007 PBC volleyball preseason All-Conference team. USCA will have to compensate for the loss of All-Conference setter Cheryl Barcas who totaled 1353 assists last season. Sophomores Whitney Tabbert and Kristen Stewart will step into the role this fall.

Armstrong Atlantic State also took a share of the 2006 PBC Championship with a 10-2 conference mark and advanced to the final of the PBC Tournament. The Pirates won 20 matches or more for the eighth straight season under coach Alan Segal, but will have to integrate eight newcomers this year after losing six seniors from last season’s team, including two-time PBC Player of the Year Traci Knuth. The 2007 team will look to All-Conference outside hitter Rindy Vidovich for leadership. The senior is the leading returning attacker with 262 kills a year ago and was named to the 2007 preseason All-Conference team. AASU will have four other returning players from last year including seniors Stacia McCoy and Kassi Kixmiller to the front line.

Francis Marion was the third team to take a share of the 2006 regular season PBC title with a 10-2 record. Under coach Paul MacDonald, the Patriots have four starters returning for 2007 including All-Conference setter Jenna Kaiser who led the PBC in assists with 10.86 last year. Also back are hitters Jackie Phiel and Michelle Settergren, who, along with Kaiser, were all named to the 2007 preseason All-Conference team. FMU will have to compensate for the loss of libero Jessica Strader, who graduated as the PBC’s all-time digs leader, and Lezlie Logan who left as the school’s all-time kills leader.

The full PBC preseason coaches poll is included below. Coaches were not allowed to rank their own teams. The 2007 volleyball season begins on Aug. 24. PBC conference play will begin on Sept. 14 and continue all the way to the PBC Tournament which will be held Nov. 10 and 11 and hosted by Lander University in Greenwood, S.C.