SPARTANBURG, S.C. – ETSU was picked as the favorite to win the 2023 Southern Conference volleyball title in preseason voting by the league’s nine head coaches with a selection that came down-to-the-wire. The coaches also selected an eight-member preseason all-conference team.
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams or players in the balloting.
ETSU, the defending SoCon regular-season champion, received five first-place votes and 58 points to claim the top spot in the preseason poll. Samford, the defending SoCon Tournament champion, collected two first-place votes and finished only one point behind the Buccaneers with 57 points. Wofford claimed 52 points and the final two first-place votes to place third. Western Carolina’s 40 points placed the Catamounts fourth and Chattanooga finished with 35 points to come in fifth. The Citadel followed in sixth with 27 points and Mercer was seventh with 24 points. Furman (19) and UNCG (12) rounded out the field in eighth and ninth, respectively.
The Buccaneers are coming off a 21-8 overall record in 2022 and a 15-1 mark in conference play. ETSU is under the direction of first-year head coach Dr. Bruce Atkinson and will be led by preseason all-conference team members Lundyn Coffman and Brianna Cantrell. In 2022, Coffman was on the first-team all-conference squad and Cantrell, the reigning Rayna Taylor Freshman of the Year, was on the second team after last season. Coffman, a graduate student middle blocker, finished 2022 third in the conference in blocks per set (1.08) and seventh in hitting percentage (.275). Cantrell, who is a sophomore outside hitter, led ETSU in kills a season ago with 300, which was ninth in the SoCon.
Samford, who finished last season 11-5 in conference play and 19-13 overall, placed junior outside hitter Gracie Lynn Butler and junior libero/defensive specialist Kate Morgan on the preseason team. Butler, who was a second-team all-conference and all-tournament performer last season, was seventh in the conference in kills per set at 2.92. Morgan was also on the second team following the 2022 season as she was second in the SoCon in service aces (49) and digs (520).
Wofford had an 8-8 mark in conference play and a 16-13 overall record in 2022. The Terriers put senior middle blocker Sarah Barham on the preseason team. Barham, a second-team all-conference performer after the 2022 season, was second in the league in hitting percentage (.333) and blocks per set (1.11).
Western Carolina completed the 2022 season with a 10-6 record in league play and 20-13 overall record en route to an appearance in the quarterfinals of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC). Junior outside hitter Bailey Hartsough and senior middle blocker Eden Punch represent the Catamounts on the preseason team. In 2022, Hartsough was fifth in the conference in service aces per set (0.35) and Punch was fourth in blocks per set (1.06).
Chattanooga was 10-6 in SoCon play and 17-16 overall in 2022 as the Mocs advanced to the SoCon Tournament semifinals. The Citadel, who were 11-19 overall and 4-12 in SoCon matches in 2022, placed outside hitter Ali Ruffin on the preseason team. Ruffin, a first-team all-conference member a season ago, led the league in kills per set (3.90) last season.
Last season, Mercer finished 10-19 overall and 6-10 in league action, Furman was 11-19 overall and 4-12 in conference play and UNCG was 10-20 overall and 4-12 in SoCon matches.
The 2023 regular season begins on Friday, Aug. 25, with all nine teams in action.
Following a first-round game between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds on Nov. 13 or 14, the SoCon Volleyball Championship will be hosted by Wofford on Nov. 17-19. The quarterfinals are slated for Nov. 17 and the semifinal matches will be held on Nov. 18 with the final on Nov. 19.
2023 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
| 1. ETSU (5) |
58 |
| 2. Samford (2) |
57 |
| 3. Wofford (2) |
52 |
| 4. Western Carolina |
40 |
| 5. Chattanooga |
35 |
| 6. The Citadel |
27 |
| 7. Mercer |
24 |
| 8. Furman |
19 |
| 9. UNCG |
12 |
() denotes first-place votes
2023 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team
Ali Ruffin, The Citadel, Jr., OH
Brianna Cantrell, ETSU, So., OH
Lundyn Coffman, ETSU, Gr., MB
Gracie Lynn Butler, Samford, Jr., OH
Kate Morgan, Samford, Jr., LIB/DS
Bailey Hartsough, Western Carolina, Jr., OH
Eden Punch, Western Carolina, Sr., MB
Sarah Barham, Wofford, Sr., MB