SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman and Samford will open the 2015 volleyball season as co-favorites to take the Southern Conference title, as voted on by all nine of the league’s coaches. The preseason all-conference team, which was voted on in conjunction with the poll, features eight players from five schools.

Samford earned 58 points and five first-place votes en route to its third consecutive year as at least a preseason co-favorite. In 2014, the Bulldogs posted an 11-5 record in conference play and topped Furman 3-1 in the SoCon Championship. The 2015 Samford squad will be led by junior outside hitter Erin Bognar, who is a preseason all-conference selection. 

Furman matched Samford with 58 points in the poll and received three first-place votes. Led by two-time reigning Coach of the Year Michelle Young, the Paladins registered a 14-2 conference record in 2014 before eventually falling to Samford in the championship match of the SoCon tournament. Furman placed a league-high three players on the preseason all-conference team in junior Annie Bierman, sophomore Meg DeMaar and senior Jo Wilks.

UNCG finished a close third, garnering 54 points and one first-place vote. Last season, the Spartans compiled an 11-5 conference record and made a semifinals appearance at the SoCon Championship. UNCG has two representatives on the preseason all-conference team in junior Sara Hohman and senior Katherine Santiago.

ETSU received 39 points, edging Chattanooga for the fourth spot in the poll. The Bucs rejoined the SoCon in 2014, notching an 11-5 conference mark that included a six-match conference win streak to end the regular season. Senior Khadijah Wiley grabbed a spot on the preseason all-conference team for the Bucs.

Chattanooga (35) and Western Carolina (30) are slotted in the poll at fifth and sixth, respectively. The Mocs are represented on the preseason all-conference team by junior right-side hitter Kristy Wieser. Mercer and Wofford share the seventh spot after both collected 21 points, while The Citadel rounds out the poll with eight points.

Two players on the preseason all-conference team were named first-or second-team all-conference in 2014. Wilks was a first-team selection and Bognar was named to the second team. DeMaar, the only libero on the preseason all-conference squad, was an all-freshman selection last season.  

All nine SoCon teams will open the regular season on Friday, Aug. 28, in various nonconference tournaments. The 2015 Southern Conference Championship will be held in Cullowhee, N.C., on the campus of Western Carolina from Nov. 21-23.

2015 Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll

2015 Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team

-www.SoConSports.com-