NEW ORLEANS – Georgia Southern middle Lauren Reichard was named preseason All-Sun Belt in a poll conducted by the conference's 12 head coaches, the league announced today.

A 2017 first-team All-Sun Belt selection, Reichard hit .342 to lead the league and ranked second in the conference in blocks. The senior averaged 2.53 kills and 1.18 blocks a set for the year. She tallied double-figure kills in 14 matches and recorded five or more blocks in 12 contests. 

Reichard is one of four starters set to return for the Eagles and enters the 2018 season ranked fifth on the Georgia Southern career blocks list with 353, 109 shy of the school record.

The Eagles open the campaign at the West Virginia Invitational August 24-25, where they face Wright State and UConn along with the host Mountaineers.

Season tickets for home matches are $40, and single match tickets are $5-8 and $3-5 for youth ages 4-12. Group tickets for groups of 15 or more are available for $3 each and must be purchased prior to game day.

2018 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Coaches' Preseason All-Conference Team
*Carlissa May, Arkansas State (Sr., OH, Lee's Summit, Mo.)
**Ellie Watkins, Arkansas State (Sr., S, Weldon Spring, Mo.)
Kyla Manning, Coastal Carolina (So., OH, Atlanta, Ga.)
*Lauren Reichard, Georgia Southern (Sr., MH, Wrightsville, Pa.)
*Dree'Ana Abram, Louisiana (Jr., MB, Marshall, Texas)
*Hali Wisnoskie, Louisiana (So., OH, Columbus, Texas)
*Kelley Hartman, South Alabama (Jr., MB, Woodstock, Ga.)
**Zhanelle Geathers, UTA (Jr., OH, Lindale, Texas)
*Madison Daigle, Texas State (Sr., MB, Baton Rouge, La.)
*Micah Dinwiddie, Texas State (Jr., DS, Lewisville, Texas)
*Amy Pflughaupt, Texas State (Sr., OH, El Campo, Texas)
**Megan Porter, Texas State (Sr., OH, Southlake, Texas)
*Denotes 2017 All-Sun Belt First Team | **Denotes 2017 All-Sun Belt Second Team

2018 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Carlissa May, Arkansas State (Sr., OH, Lee's Summit, Mo.)

2018 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Micah Dinwiddie, Texas State (Jr., DS. Lewisville, Texas)

2018 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Setter of the Year
Ellie Watkins, Arkansas State (Sr., S, Weldon Spring, Mo.)

2018 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Poll (first-place votes in parentheses)
East Division
1. Coastal Carolina (8) - 67
2. South Alabama (4) - 63
3. Appalachian State - 44
4. Troy – 37
5. Georgia State – 22
6. Georgia Southern - 19

West Division
1. Texas State (10) - 70
2. Arkansas State (1) – 58
3. Louisiana (1) – 51
4. UTA – 32
5. Little Rock – 27
6. ULM - 14