BUIES CREEK,
N.C.-The Atlantic Sun Conference recently announced
the results of the Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll and the
Preseason All-Conference Team. Included on the team is Campbell
University's Femi Alabi, a powerful 6-foot-3 junior middle hitter
for the Camels.
"We were excited to see Femi
receive this early recognition," said Head Coach Melinda
Ashcraft. "While I am looking forward to her junior year, we all
know that the strength of any player is attributed to the efforts
of the whole team. We will all have to bring our best to the floor
to succeed."
The Jos, Nigeria native saw action
in 111 games for the Fighting Camels as a sophomore, notching a
team best 368 kills and finishing second in kills per game
(3.32), hitting percentage (.328), block solos (28), block assists
(92), blocks per game (1.08), points (443) and points per game
(3.99). Alabi was even better in conference play, having 124
kills (3.44/game), 1.31 bpg and 4.19 ppg against league
opponents.
She also posted the second highest
single-season attack percentage in Campbell history and set the
third highest single-match hitting percentage with a .714 (11-1-14)
against Winston-Salem State on Oct. 17, 2006 in Buies
Creek.
After last season, Alabi was named
to the ESPN The Magazine / Academic All-District 3 Volleyball
University Division Second Team by the College Sports Information
Directors of America (CoSIDA) and the NCCSIA All-State First
Team.
Others included on the
all-conference team are Kaena Apana and Callie Kiselich (East
Tennessee State University), Ann Mullins (Lipscomb), Amy Stroder
(University of North Florida), as well as teammates Colleen Nilson
and Jaye Schuler (Belmont). Nilson, a Belmont setter, took the top
spot as Preseason Player of the Year.
As for the team Preseason Poll,
Belmont was picked to win the regular season, with Campbell
finishing in a tie for seventh with Mercer. Besides Belmont, who
received six of the twelve first place votes, ETSU was picked
second, followed by Jacksonville, Florida Gulf Coast, the
University of North Florida and Lipscomb. Campbell, Mercer,
Gardner-Webb, Stetson, Kennesaw State and USC Upstate round out the
bunch.
"I am eager to pursue a stronger
position in our conference this season than our past records have
placed," said Ashcraft. "Our team, while young and very
enthusiastic, we are working to finish well this year."
The Fighting Camels come into the
2007 season behind the strength of three returning starters
and their libero from last year's team. With the addition of six
newcomers joining the Campbell roster, it is one of the youngest
teams in the country.
According to the poll, Belmont is
also expected to take the conference tournament crown behind
preseason all-conference selections Nilson and Schuler. The
Camels, meanwhile, are searching for their first trip to the A-Sun
Tournament since 2001. The six-team event will be held in Macon,
Ga. this year on Nov. 15-17 at Mercer. Due to tie-breaking
procedures, Campbell lost out to Mercer for the final spot last
year.
Campbell opens the
season in Durham, N.C. at the North Carolina Central Invitational
on August 24-25. The Camels play one match on Friday against
Loyola, before playing three matches on Saturday against North
Carolina State, Norfolk State and the host Eagles. Conference play
opens for the Camels in DeLand, Fla., in a match with Stetson on
September 21.
Preseason Poll Results
1 Belmont
(6) 132
2 ETSU
(1) 117
3 Jacksonville
(1) 112
4 Florida Gulf Coast
(3) 111
5
UNF 101
6 Lipscomb
(1) 99
T7 Campbell
60
T7 Mercer
60
9
Gardner-Webb 54
10 Stetson
39
11 Kennesaw
State 26
12 USC
Upstate 25
Tournament Winner:
Belmont
Preseason All-Conference
Team
MH Femi Alabi
Campbell
LIB Kaena
Apana ETSU
MB Callie
Kiselich ETSU
LIB Ann
Mullins Lipscomb
S Colleen
Nilson Belmont
MH Jaye
Schuler Belmont
OH Amy
Stroder UNF
Preseason Player of the Year:
Colleen Nilson (Belmont)
