NEWPORT NEWS, Va.—Dayton and Saint Louis have been voted co-preseason volleyball favorites in the 2016 Atlantic 10 Conference volleyball poll, which was announced Tuesday ahead of the start of the season Friday.
The Flyers posted a perfect conference regular season record in 2015 at 14-0 and won the 2015 Atlantic 10 Championship, defeating Saint Louis in the title match. Led by two-time setter of the year, Jane Emmenecker and three-time A-10 Coach of the Year Tim Horsmon, Dayton earned six first-place votes in the poll and tallied 83 points. The Flyers, which were 27-6 overall last year including an NCAA Tournament win, are looking for their 11th Atlantic 10 title and their seventh in the last eight years.
Saint Louis also netted 83 points in the preseason poll, with three first-place votes. The runners up in the 2015 Championship, SLU finished the regular season at 10-4 in conference play and were 22-10 overall. Led by three-time All-Conference selection Danielle Rygelski and 2014 A-10 Rookie of the Year Nenye Okoro, the Billikens are looking for their third A-10 title and first since 2008.
George Washington finished third in the voting with one first-place vote. The Colonials were the runners up in the 2014 A-10 Championship and took Dayton to five sets in the 2015 Championship semifinals. Anchored by three-time All-Conference selection Chidima Osuchukwu, GW was 9-5 in league play and 21-11 overall.
Rhode Island was voted fourth in the poll with 65 points, followed by Duquesne in fifth with 46 points. VCU recorded 44 points for sixth place and Davidson is ranked seventh in the poll with 39 points. George Mason (28), Fordham (20) and La Salle (14) rounded out the poll, which was voted on by the league’s 10 head volleyball coaches.
The 2016 campaign begins Friday with Atlantic 10 teams in season-opening tournaments. The 2016 Atlantic 10 Volleyball Championship will be played at Saint Louis’ Chaifetz Pavilion Nov. 18-20.
2016 Atlantic 10 Volleyball Preseason Poll
(number in parenthesis indicates first-place votes)
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Dayton (6)
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83
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Saint Louis (3)
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83
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George Washington (1)
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72
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Rhode Island
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65
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Duquesne
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46
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VCU
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44
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Davidson
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39
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George Mason
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28
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Fordham
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20
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La Salle
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14
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