Pfeiffer University Picked to Win 2016 Conference Carolinas Men's Volleyball Championship
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Pfeiffer University Falcons have been named the favorite to win the 2016 Conference Carolinas Men's Volleyball Championship, the league announced today. The Falcons tallied 77 points from the coaches, including six first-place votes.
Pfeiffer finished the 2015 season ranked 15th in the AVCA poll after sweeping the Conference Carolinas regular season and tournament titles. The Falcons tied a single-season program record with 21 wins season, which included a 17-1 conference record, and earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Erskine College was selected to finish second by the coaches after receiving 68 points and one first-place vote. The Flying Fleet finished runner-up to Pfeiffer in 2015 after turning in a 21-7 overall record and 15-3 conference mark.
The University of Mount Olive landed third in the preseason poll with 65 points. The Trojans' 2015 campaign concluded with an 11-7 conference mark and 15-11 overall record.
Limestone College enters 2016 picked fourth after receiving 55 points and one first-place vote, while King University was narrowly slotted fifth with 54 points. Barton College received the last first-place vote and was selected sixth with 49 points.
The Saints finished 2015 with a 14-15 overall record, but managed a fourth-place finish in conference play with an 11-7 record. The Tornado went 15-13 in 2015 and 10-8 in Conference Carolinas play. The Bulldogs were 13-18 overall in 2015 and 9-9 in conference play.
Placing seventh was Belmont Abbey College with 44 points, followed by North Greenville University at eighth with 31 points. Closing out the 2015 poll was Lees-McRae College with 25 points.
The Crusaders of Belmont Abbey ended 2015 9-9 in Conference Carolinas play and 13-14 overall, while the Crusaders of North Greenville wrapped up 2015 with a 10-20 overall record and 4-14 conference mark. The Bobcats went 3-19 overall and 2-16 in conference during the 2015 season.
The 2015 Conference Carolinas men's volleyball season begins on Thursday, Jan. 7.
2016 Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll
| School (first-place votes) |
Total |
| 1. Pfeiffer (6) |
77 |
| 2. Erskine (1) |
68 |
| 3. Mount Olive |
65 |
| 4. Limestone (1) |
55 |
| 5. King |
54 |
| 6. Barton (1) |
49 |
| 7. Belmont Abbey |
44 |
| 8. North Greenville |
31 |
| 9. Lees-McRae |
25 |
Conference Carolinas is a NCAA Division II athletics conference made up of 12 teams from Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. These institutions consist of: Barton College, Belmont Abbey College, Converse College, Emmanuel College, Erskine College, King University, Lees-McRae College, Limestone College, University of Mount Olive, North Greenville University, Pfeiffer University, and Southern Wesleyan University. Emmanuel College and Southern Wesleyan University are currently completing the NCAA Membership Process and will be fully competing in league championships in the near future.