UAlbany Volleyball Picked Second in America East Preseason Poll

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Boston, Mass. – The University at Albany volleyball team has been picked to finish second in the America East Conference in the 2007 preseason poll, as voted by the conference’s head coaches. UMBC, which earned four first-place votes, was chosen to finish first. UAlbany, the defending champions, took first in the poll the previous two years. With 34 total points, the Retrievers replaced the Great Danes, who garnered three first-place votes and 30 total points, atop the poll. New Hampshire (23 points), Binghamton (22 points) and Stony Brook (21 points) filled the top five, while Maine (11 points) and Hartford (6 points) rounded out the poll.

UAlbany, which has won three straight regular-season America East titles, defeated UMBC in the conference championship last season, coming back for a dramatic 3-2 victory. Head coach Kelly Sheffield, the 2006 A-East coach of the year, returns all-conference players Ashley Crenshaw and Kamisha Kellam. Crenshaw led the conference in hitting percentage and was in the top ten performers in kills, blocks and points. Kellam led the conference with 1.37 blocks per game a year ago.

The Great Danes start play on Friday, Aug. 24, at the Northern Arizona Tournament. UAlbany will play New Mexico State on Friday before facing off against the host Lumberjacks and UC Davis on Saturday.

2007 America East Conference Preseason Volleyball Poll

1. UMBC, (4) 34 points; 2. UAlbany, (3) 30 points; 3. New Hampshire, 23 points; 4. Binghamton, 22 points; 5. Stony Brook, 21 points; 6. Maine, 11 points; 7. Hartford, 6 points.

*First place votes in parentheses ()