The Big East released the preseason predictions for women's volleyball today. Coming off a season where they finished in third place with a record of 11-3, an appearance in the Big East Tournament semifinals, and lost two All Big East first team players in Nikki Klingsporn and Rabbecka Gonyo, the Marquette women's volleyball team is picked to finish 4th. The upside to that news is that Marquette is the first team in the predicted order of finish to not receive a first place vote, ended up behind last year's tournament champion Louisville (11 1st place votes), Notre Dame (1 vote), and last year's regular season champion Cincinnati (3 votes).
In individual honors news, Marquette outside hitter Ashley Beyer was selected to the preseason all Big East team. Beyer finished last season by being named as part of the All Big East First Team while leading MU in kills and ending up with the second most digs on the team.
After the jump: The complete preseason voting and individual awards!
2011 BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- Louisville (11) 190
- Notre Dame (1) 176
- Cincinnati (3) 175
- Marquette 164
- Villanova 137
- Seton Hall 115
- Pittsburgh 107
- USF 96
- Syracuse 85
- St. John’s 81
- Connecticut 72
- West Virginia 69
- Georgetown 60
- Rutgers 27
- DePaul 21
2011 BIG EAST Volleyball Preseason Awards and Coaches Poll
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
*Lola Arslanbekova, Louisville, Jr., OH
All-BIG EAST Preseason Team
*Jordan Scott, Cincinnati, Jr., MB
*Lola Arslanbekova, Louisville, Jr., OH
Emily Juhl, Louisville, So., OH
Gwen Rucker, Louisville, Sr., MH
Ashley Beyer, Marquette Sr., OH
Kristen Dealy, Notre Dame, Sr., OH
Andrea McHugh, Notre Dame, So., OH
Darlene Ramdin, St. John’s, Sr., OH/MH
Megan Matusiak, Seton Hall, Sr., RS
Noemie Lefebvre, Syracuse, Sr., OH
*Kim Maroon, Villanova, Sr., L
Maggie Mergen, Villanova, Sr., MB
* - unanimous selection