UALBANY VOLLEYBALL TOPS AMERICA EAST PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
Boston, Mass. -- The University at Albany is the preseason favorite to win the America East Conference Volleyball Championship for the second straight season. The Great Danes received five first-place votes and 35 points overall in a poll of the league's head coaches.
Defending A-East tournament champion Binghamton (32 points) garnered two first-place votes to finish second in the poll, followed by Stony Brook (21 points). UMBC and New Hampshire were tied for fourth with 18 points while Maine (17 points) and Hartford (six points) rounded out the voting.
UAlbany won its second consecutive regular-season title last season after posting an 11-1 conference record and going 28-4 overall. The Great Danes, who were upset by Stony Brook in the America East semifinals, recorded the most wins in the program's Division I history and the highest winning percentage in conference annals.
UAlbany and head coach Kelly Sheffield return three all-conference players, including two-time defending America East Player and Setter of the Year Blair Buchanan. America East Defensive Specialist of the Year Ashley DeNeal and first-team all-conference hitter Shelby Goldman also return for the Great Danes.
Buchanan, who also earned AVCA First Team All-Region accolades, finished her third season as the school's all-time leader in assists with 3,643 after recording a conference-best 12.19 assists per game as a junior.
DeNeal, who was ranked 33rd nationally in dig average, led the team and the conference with 5.19 per game (566 total) and was also named to the America East All-Academic First Team.
Goldman, who also earned all-academic first team accolades, finished second in the conference in kills with 3.95 per game. Goldman enters the season fifth on UAlbany's all-time kills chart with 1,147 and is eighth in career kills per game with 3.52.
The team will open the season at the Mortar Board Premier Tournament hosted by Purdue University. UAlbany will also play in tournaments hosted by Hofstra, Stony Brook and Yale early in the season. The Great Danes will host the UAlbany Tournament on September 15-16, playing host to Middle Tennessee, Temple and Syracuse.
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2006 Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Albany (5), 2. Binghamton (2), 3. Stony Brook, T4. UMBC, T4. New Hampshire, 6. Maine, 7. Hartford. (First place votes in parentheses)
