Composite Schedule

ROCK HILL, SC – Presbyterian College, last year’s regular-season league champion, was tabbed by the league’s coaches as the preseason favorite to repeat and win the 2004 South Atlantic Conference volleyball race, it was announced today.

Presbyterian received five first-place votes and 60 total points.

The Blue Hose placed three on the preseason All-Conference volleyball team, which was also announced. Donja Bobbitt and Erin Friday were both selected to the first team, while Jasmin Brown was named to the second team. Bobbitt led the league in kills per game last season, while Friday was second. Brown was second in the league in hitting percentage last season.

Wingate University, which won the Food Lion SAC Tournament, is picked to finish second. The Bulldogs received the other three first place votes and 53 total points.

Wingate also placed three on the preseason All-Conference team. Sarah Godec, who ranked fourth in the conference last season in assists per game, was a first team selection. Molly Kerns, last year’s SAC Freshman of the Year, and Danielle Thompson were named to the second team.

Catawba College is picked to finish third with 47 points. Catawba also placed three on the preseason All-Conference team. Hope Miller, who led the SAC in assists per game last year, and Elizabeth Hewitt, who hit .301 last season and averaged .84 blocks per game, were named to the first team. Crissi Harrison, who hit .290 last year, was named to the second team.

Carson-Newman College, under first-year coach Shannon Mincey, is picked to finish fourth, receiving 45 points. Jennifer Holmes, who hit .305 and averaged 3.76 kills per game, and libero Blaire Young, who led the conference with 5.6 digs per game, were named to the preseason All-Conference first team. Kerri Gibson, who was second in the league in assists per game last year with an average of 11.81, was selected to the second team.

Lenoir-Rhyne College is the preseason pick to finish fifth. The Bears have two representatives on the preseason All-Conference second team in Rebekah Steinlin and Leslie Hinkle. Hinkle averaged 3.58 digs per game last season.

Newberry College received 24 points and is picked to finish sixth. Kelly Harting was selected to the preseason All-Conference second team at the libero position.

Mars Hill College, under first-year coach Tony Fontanelle is picked to finish seventh. The Lions will look for leadership from senior Sarah Nash, who was a preseason All-Conference first team selection.

Tusculum College is picked to finish eighth.

The 2004 volleyball season begins August 27 with six of the league’s teams in action. The Food Lion SAC Tournament semifinals and finals will be held at Newberry College on Saturday, November 13. The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II Tournament.

2004 SAC PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL POLL

2004 SAC PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Jennifer Holmes, Carson-Newman
Blaire Young, Carson-Newman (libero)
Hope Miller, Catawba
Elizabeth Hewitt, Catawba
Sarah Nash, Mars Hill
Donja Bobbitt, Presbyterian
Erin Friday, Presbyterian
Sarah Godec, Wingate
SECOND TEAM
Kerri Gibson, Carson-Newman
Crissi Harrison, Catawba
Rebekah Steinlin, Lenoir-Rhyne
Leslie Hinkle, Lenoir-Rhyne
Kelly Harting, Newberry (libero)
Jasmin Brown, Presbyterian
Danielle Thompson, Wingate
Molly Kerns, Wingate