Aug. 21, 2007

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - In a poll conducted among the league's head volleyball coaches, Temple University was chosen to win the East Division regular season title, while Saint Louis University was picked on top in the West Division.

The Owls (8-5/16-14) advanced to their ninth Conference championship match in 2006, but fell to eventual A-10 Champion Saint Louis in the semifinals. They will be led by senior Yue Liu and junior Patricia Vernon. Liu received first team All-Conference honors last season, while Vernon and senior Ying Sun Ling earned a spot on the A-10's second-team.

Saint Louis (11-2/22-9) upset Dayton, who had won three straight A-10 titles, to earn its first Conference title in just its second year since joining the league. The Billikens made their NCAA debut and return the 2006 A-10 Coach of the Year, Anne Kordes, along with the 2006 A-10 Rookie of the Year, Sammi McCloud.

The 2007 Atlantic 10 Volleyball Championship expanded to six teams last year and will be played over three days, Nov. 16-18, at Halton Arena on the campus of Charlotte.

Below are those predictions along with last year's A10 and overall records:

Predicted Order of Finish 2006 Record (A-10/Overall) in parentheses
East
1. Temple (8-5/16-14)
2. Charlotte (7-6/20-12)
3. Fordham (6-7/21-15)
4. George Washington (6-7/14-12)
5. La Salle (0-13/9-24)
West
1. Saint Louis (11-2/22-9)
2. Dayton (11-2/22-9)
3. Xavier (10-3/18-12)
4. Duquesne (4-9/11-21)
5. Rhode Island (2-11/7-24)