LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The East Stroudsburg University and Gannon University women’s volleyball teams were selected as preseason favorites in the 2023 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Women’s Volleyball Preseason Polls, as voted on by the league’s coaches.
 
East
 
The East Stroudsburg Warriors were voted No. 1 in the 2023 PSAC East Division Women’s Volleyball Preseason Poll and tallied four first-place votes. The team won its opening round PSAC Tournament match as the third seed over two seed Shippensburg, 3-0, before bowing out to eventual champion Gannon. The Warriors return a trio of All-PSAC selections from a season ago, including potent offensive weapons Anna Coulter (a First Team selection) and Kaylee LoPresto (Second Team) as well as another Second Team choice in libero Makayla Baca.
 
The No. 2 team in the 2023 East poll—receiving two first-place votes--is the Shepherd Rams, the defending East Division champions after finishing with a 21-7 overall record (12-2 PSAC.) Eastern Division Coach of the Year Alex Hoekstra will have to replace the production of Athlete of the Year Mikaylah Hoy, but can rely on returning All-PSAC players Claire Ellis (selected to the First Team as well as Defensive Athlete of the Year) and Second Team selection Renee Killough, who tallied 129 kills from her middle hitter position. Joi Fairweather (205 kills, the second highest total on the team) also will be back on the court for the Rams.
 
The Shippensburg Raiders also received a pair of first-place votes in this year’s East Poll and is the No. 3 ranked team. The team accumulated a record of 18-12 overall (10-4 PSAC) but return only a single All-PSAC selection—albeit a critical one—in Second Team choice Kearstin Davis, who logged 993 assists in 2022 in addition to team-high totals of 30 matches and 120 sets played. Maddie Clabaugh (219 kills) and Kat Negron (221) are also back to lead the Raiders’ offense.
 
West Chester, the No. 4 team in the poll, finished 2022 with a 20-11 overall record (8-6 PSAC) and welcome back a trio of All-PSAC selections in First Teamer Brynn Dreisbach and Second Team choices in setter Jamie Byrne and middle blocker Hailey Lewis.
 
Kutztown, Millersville, Bloomsburg, and Lock Haven complete the remainder of the 2023 East poll.
 
West
 
The Gannon Golden Knights sit atop the 2023 PSAC West Division Preseason Poll after collecting seven first-place votes and finishing the season with a 29-6 record (15-1 PSAC), PSAC and Atlantic Regional tournament titles, and advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight. Gannon and 2022 Western Division Coach of the Year Matt Darling returns the bulk of that team to the court in 2023, including a pair of All-PSAC First Team and PSAC Major Award winners in Defensive Athlete of the Year Emma Hall and Freshman of the Year setter Bengisu Arslan. Hitters Madde Blake (All-PSAC Second Team, 354 kills in 2022) and Sam Deinek (a team-leading 409 kills) are also back.
 
The No. 2 team in the 2023 West Poll, Clarion (28-5 overall, 14-2 PSAC), received two first-place votes and were the only team to hand Gannon a conference loss in 2022. The Golden Eagles return plenty of firepower, with a trio of All-PSAC First Team selections from a season ago—Western Division Athlete of the Year London Fuller should once again set up hitters Julia Piccolino (433 kills) and Cassidy Snider (372 kills.) Clarion and Gannon met four times in 2022, including a five-set thriller in the PSAC Championship Game and multiple sets that were pushed to tiebreaker scenarios. The Golden Eagles led the PSAC in hitting percentage (.256) and had the lowest opponents hitting percentage (.142) in the West.
 
The IUP Crimson Hawks were voted the No. 3 team in the West poll after a 2022 regular season that ended with a 20-9 overall record (10-6 PSAC) and a PSAC Tournament appearance. All-PSAC First Team selection Lauren Valentic returns after tallying a team-best .331 hitting percentage and 225 kills last season. All-PSAC Second Teamer Caroline Walsh (200 kills and a .324 hitting percentage) is also back to help the IUP offense succeed.
 
The No. 4 team in the West’s preseason poll, Edinboro, earned a 19-10 record (9-7 PSAC) last season and was also the No. 4 seed in the PSAC Tournament. The Fighting Scots return All-PSAC First Team hitter Bella Burrelli, who led the team with 319 kills and 1040 attempts.
 
Slippery Rock, Seton Hill, Pitt-Johnstown, California, and Mercyhurst round out the rest of the 2023 West poll.
 
The 2023 PSAC women’s volleyball season kicks off in full on Friday, September 1.
 
2023 PSAC Women’s Volleyball Preseason Polls (# of first place votes)
 
East Division
 
1. East Stroudsburg (4)
2. Shepherd (2)
3. Shippensburg (2)
4. West Chester
5. Kutztown
6. Millersville
7. Bloomsburg
8. Lock Haven
 
West Division
 
1. Gannon (7)
2. Clarion (2)
3. IUP
4. Edinboro
5. Slippery Rock
6. Seton Hill
7. Pitt-Johnstown
8. California
9. Mercyhurst