Owls picked third in LEC women's volleyball preseason poll

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Keene State College holds down the third sport in the LEC women's volleyball preseason poll announced on Thursday.

The University of Massachusetts Boston has been predicted to repeat as the Little East volleyball regular-season champions after a vote by the eight conference coaches’ to determine the annual preseason poll. The Beacons sit atop the preseason survey for the second-straight season after earning seven of the eight first-place votes and 62 total points. 

Western Connecticut State University was the clear consensus choice to finish second after receiving six second-place votes and 53 total points to outdistance themselves from No. 3 Keene State College. The Owls garnered the final first-place selection, but were seven points off the Colonials’ pace.  

Under the watchful eye of Head Coach Terry Condon, UMass Boston enjoyed the program’s most successful season in 2009. The Beacons established a new single-season wins record (30), putting an additional five victories between the 2008 squad. UMass Boston used the momentum of a program-high 17-match win streak to boast an overall record of 30-5. Condon and her charges swept the conference circuit to capture the program’s first regular-season championship and earn the right to host the Little East Championship Tournament. The Beacons did not disappoint their home fans as UMass Boston defeated the second-seeded Panthers, 3-2, to raise the coveted championship trophy for the first time and enter the NCAA Division III Tournament as the second seed in the New England Region.

The Beacons welcome nine student-athletes back into the fold from the 2009 team, including four starters. Last fall, UMass Boston led the conference in several key offensive statistical categories, including hitting percentage (.316), kills (12.41 kpg), and service aces (2.70 apg). Sophomore middle hitter Shannon Thompson (Moorpark, Calif.) is expected the fuel the high-powered offensive attack in 2010. The All-America selection led the Little East in service aces (87), while ranking third in kills (420) and fifth in hitting percentage (.338) as a rookie. The Beacons begin their title defense at the Trinity University (Texas) River City Classic on Sept. 3 against Hardin-Simmons.

Head Coach Greg Poole led Western Connecticut to the program’s highest single-season win total (26) since the Little East began sponsoring a conference schedule in 1998. The Colonials completed the 2009 campaign with an overall record of 26-8, marking the seventh time in the past 12 years WestConn has posted a 20-win season.  Poole guided the Colonials to their third-straight appearance in the Little East semifinal round after sweeping intra-state rival Eastern Connecticut, 3-0, in the opening round match.

Western Connecticut returns a strong core group from the record-setting 2009 campaign. The Colonials offense will once again be organized by senior setter Samantha Hathaway (Milford, Conn.). The All-Little East, second-team pick ranked second in the conference in assists per game (10.47). Western Connecticut makes its 2010 debut at 7 p.m. on Sept. 1, when the Colonials travel to Baruch.

 The Little East sponsors a single round-robin conference schedule with each team playing seven matches. The top six teams in the final regular-season standings will earn a berth into the 2010 Little East Volleyball Championship Tournament. The championship tournament will begin on Tuesday, Nov. 2 with a pair of first round matches. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receive a bye into the semifinal round on Friday, Nov. 5 and await the two first round winners. The conference champion will be crowned the following afternoon and will earn the right to represent the league in the NCAA Division III Tournament.  

Completing the preseason poll in projected order of finish are Plymouth State University (36), Eastern Connecticut State University (32), Rhode Island College (30), University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (20), and University of Southern Maine (9).

In 1989, Eastern Connecticut State University, University of Massachusetts Boston, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (Southeastern Massachusetts University), Plymouth State University (College), Rhode Island College, and the University of Southern Maine each formed the Little East Conference. Western Connecticut State University joined the conference in 1993, while Keene State College completed the present eight-team membership in 1997.