Volleyball Picked Third in Sun Belt Preseason Poll
8/18/2014 12:58:00 PM | Volleyball
NEW ORLEANS – The Georgia Southern volleyball team was picked third, while seniors Jamie DeRatt and Kym Coley were named all-conference in the Sun Belt Preseason Poll, announced by the league Monday.
The Eagles received two first-place votes and 95 points, four shy of second pick Texas State and 15 behind first pick UALR. The Trojans got four first-place votes, and the Bobcats received three. South Alabama, picked fifth, also obtained a first-place vote along with sixth-pick UL Lafayette.
DeRatt was the MVP of the 2013 Southern Conference Tournament and a first-team All-SoCon selection. She was a two-time SoCon Offensive Player of the Week honoree and the league's Player of the Month for September in 2013. DeRatt ranked second in the league in kills (3.69/set), reached double-figure kills in 26 matches and recorded 19 double-doubles with kills and digs.
Coley was a 2013 first-team All-SoCon pick and earned all-tournament accolades. She ranked second in the league in hitting percentage (.381) and averaged 2.61 kills and 0.74 blocks per set. Coley reached double-figure kills in 14 matches. She posted 10 kills and hit .333 in the Eagles' NCAA Tournament match against Florida State.
Georgia Southern returns five starters from last season's 28-6 team that won the Southern Conference Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles open the season at the Active Ankle Challenge at the University of Florida Aug. 29-30. Georgia Southern faces the 10th-ranked Gators in its first match of the season and also plays Oklahoma and Idaho on opening weekend.
Georgia Southern spends the first three weekends of the season at tournaments on the road and will travel to Troy in its first Sun Belt Conference match Sept. 17, before playing its home opener against a familiar foe, Appalachian State, Sept. 19. The contest against the Mountaineers will also be the Eagles' first home Sun Belt match.
Team (First Place Votes) - Points
1. UALR (4) - 110
2. Texas State (3) - 99
3. Georgia Southern (2) - 95
4. UT Arlington - 83
5. South Alabama (1) - 76
6. UL Lafayette (1) - 63
7. Appalachian State - 62
8. Arkansas State - 58
9. Troy - 41
10. Georgia State - 28
11. UL Monroe - 11
Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference Team
Edina Begic, UALR
Mechell Daniel, South Alabama
Sonja Milanovic, UALR
Jamie DeRatt, Georgia Southern
Caylin Mahoney, Texas State
Andrea Hole, UL Lafayette
Kym Coley, Georgia Southern
Marija Zelenovic, Troy
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Edina Begic, UALR
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Marcela Araya, UL Monroe
Preseason Setter of the Year
Caylin Mahoney, Texas State
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Fans can purchase tickets to Georgia Southern Athletics events by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS or by visiting GSEagles.com.
The Eagles received two first-place votes and 95 points, four shy of second pick Texas State and 15 behind first pick UALR. The Trojans got four first-place votes, and the Bobcats received three. South Alabama, picked fifth, also obtained a first-place vote along with sixth-pick UL Lafayette.
DeRatt was the MVP of the 2013 Southern Conference Tournament and a first-team All-SoCon selection. She was a two-time SoCon Offensive Player of the Week honoree and the league's Player of the Month for September in 2013. DeRatt ranked second in the league in kills (3.69/set), reached double-figure kills in 26 matches and recorded 19 double-doubles with kills and digs.
Coley was a 2013 first-team All-SoCon pick and earned all-tournament accolades. She ranked second in the league in hitting percentage (.381) and averaged 2.61 kills and 0.74 blocks per set. Coley reached double-figure kills in 14 matches. She posted 10 kills and hit .333 in the Eagles' NCAA Tournament match against Florida State.
Georgia Southern returns five starters from last season's 28-6 team that won the Southern Conference Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles open the season at the Active Ankle Challenge at the University of Florida Aug. 29-30. Georgia Southern faces the 10th-ranked Gators in its first match of the season and also plays Oklahoma and Idaho on opening weekend.
Georgia Southern spends the first three weekends of the season at tournaments on the road and will travel to Troy in its first Sun Belt Conference match Sept. 17, before playing its home opener against a familiar foe, Appalachian State, Sept. 19. The contest against the Mountaineers will also be the Eagles' first home Sun Belt match.
Team (First Place Votes) - Points
1. UALR (4) - 110
2. Texas State (3) - 99
3. Georgia Southern (2) - 95
4. UT Arlington - 83
5. South Alabama (1) - 76
6. UL Lafayette (1) - 63
7. Appalachian State - 62
8. Arkansas State - 58
9. Troy - 41
10. Georgia State - 28
11. UL Monroe - 11
Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference Team
Edina Begic, UALR
Mechell Daniel, South Alabama
Sonja Milanovic, UALR
Jamie DeRatt, Georgia Southern
Caylin Mahoney, Texas State
Andrea Hole, UL Lafayette
Kym Coley, Georgia Southern
Marija Zelenovic, Troy
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Edina Begic, UALR
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Marcela Araya, UL Monroe
Preseason Setter of the Year
Caylin Mahoney, Texas State
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Fans can purchase tickets to Georgia Southern Athletics events by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS or by visiting GSEagles.com.
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