SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wofford was tabbed as the favorite to win the 2022 Southern Conference volleyball title in preseason voting by the league’s nine head coaches with a vote that came down-to-the-wire. The coaches also selected a nine-member preseason all-conference team, which features an extra player due to a tie in voting.

Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams or players in the balloting.
 
Wofford received three first-place votes and 57 points to claim the top spot in the preseason poll. Samford also collected three first-place votes and finished only one point behind the Terriers with 56 points. ETSU claimed 45 points and two first-place votes to place third, while the defending regular-season co-champion Mercer came in fourth with 40 points and the final first-place vote. Western Carolina’s 32 points placed it fifth and UNCG, who shared the 2021 regular-season crown with Mercer, finished with 30 points to come in sixth. The 2021 SoCon tournament champion, The Citadel, followed in seventh with 29 points. Furman (22) and Chattanooga (13) rounded out the field in eighth and ninth, respectively.
 
The Terriers are coming off a 17-14 overall record in 2021 and a 9-7 mark in conference play. Wofford advanced to the SoCon title match in 2021 and will be led by preseason all-conference team members Sarah Barham and Emily Hodsdon. Both were second-team all-conference after last season. Barham, the lone middle blocker on the preseason team, finished 2021 second in the conference in blocks per set (1.20) and fourth in hitting percentage (.279). Junior setter Hodsdon concluded her 2021 campaign second in the SoCon in assists (1,149) and third in aces (38), while also being named to the all-tournament team.
 
Samford, who also finished last season 9-7 in conference play, had an 11-18 record overall in 2021 and placed a pair of outside hitters on the preseason team, redshirt junior Kenya McQuirter and graduate student Lauren Deaton. McQuirter, who was a first-team all-conference and all-tournament performer last season, was third in the league in kills with 395. Deaton was on the second team following the 2021 campaign as she was fifth in the conference in kills per set at 3.37.
 
Mercer had a 12-4 mark in conference play and a 16-12 record overall. The Bears put graduate student outside hitter Annie Karle on the preseason team. Karle was named first-team all-conference after the 2021 season.

ETSU completed the 2021 season with a 7-9 record in league play and 11-17 overall en route to the sixth seed in the SoCon tournament. Western Carolina, the fifth seed in the conference tournament, completed the 2021 season with the same record overall and in league play as the Buccaneers.
 
The Catamounts placed fifth year outside hitter Merry Gebel and junior libero Destinee Dorsey on the preseason all-conference team. Gebel was second-team all-conference last season after finishing fourth in the SoCon in kills per set at 3.53. Dorsey, the only libero on the preseason team, led the league in digs per set in 2021 (5.10).

UNCG, under the direction of 2021 coach of the year Corey Carlin, was the only SoCon squad to top 20 wins a season ago as the Spartans had a 23-7 record overall, to go along with their 12-4 league record. The Spartans put senior setter Gabriela McHugh on the preseason team. The first-team all-SoCon performer in 2021 led the conference in assists with 1,207.

The Citadel, the reigning Southern Conference tournament champions, placed the 2021 Rayna Taylor Freshman of the Year Ali Ruffin on the preseason team. The sophomore outside hitter also made the all-tournament team last season.

Furman finished 9-20 overall and 2-14 in league action, while Chattanooga went 11-19 overall and 7-9 in SoCon play in 2021.

The 2022 regular season begins on Friday, Aug. 26, with all nine teams in action.

Following a first-round game between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds on Nov. 14 or 15, the SoCon Volleyball Championship will be hosted by Furman on Nov. 18-20. The quarterfinals are slated for Nov. 18 and the semifinal matches will be held on Nov. 19 with the final on Nov. 20.

2022 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Wofford (3)	57
2. Samford (3)	56
3. ETSU (2)	45
4. Mercer (1)	40
5. Western Carolina	32
6. UNCG	30
7. The Citadel	29
8.  Furman	22
9.  Chattanooga	13

() denotes first-place votes
 
2022 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team
Ali Ruffin, The Citadel, So., OH
Annie Karle, Mercer, Gr., OH
Gabriela McHugh, UNCG, Sr., S
Lauren Deaton, Samford, Gr., OH
Kenya McQuirter, Samford, R-Jr., OH
Destinee Dorsey, Western Carolina, Jr., LIB
Merry Gebel, Western Carolina, 5th Yr., OH
Sarah Barham, Wofford, Jr., MB
Emily Hodsdon, Wofford, Jr., S