2018 Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball Preview and Players to Watch

8/15/2018 12:00:00 AM

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The 2018 Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball preseason poll has been released. Once again, Barton College will enter the season as the favorite to win the Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball Championship, according to Conference Carolinas coaches.

1. Barton College: The Bulldogs collected seven first-place votes and a total of 97 points to be named the early season favorite in 2018 by Conference coaches.

Barton made its second straight trip to the NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championship last season after going 23-8 overall and 13-1 in Conference Carolinas play. The Bulldogs also won their second straight conference tournament crown to go with a north division regular season title.

Barton returns a lot of talent on its 2018 roster, including three all-conference picks in Angelica Acevedo, Allie Cullens and Kaytlin Elkins. Elkins highlights the group, as she was the Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year last season and the league's lone AVCA All-Region selection. In addition to their all-conference selections, two-time reigning conference tournament MVP Riley Bane will be back in the fold to lead the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs are the easy favorites and will be facing everyone's best shot in 2018. However, two-time reigning Coach of the Year Jeff Lennox will undoubtingly have his team prepared for anything that comes its way this season.

Players to Watch:

*Angelica Acevedo (Sr.) - Setter
*Allie Cullens (Sr.) - Middle Blocker
*Kaytlin Elkins (So.) - Outside Hitter

2. Emmanuel College: The Lions made a splash in their preseason poll debut, as they collected 87 points and three first-place vote from coaches. Emmanuel concluded last season 20-13 overall and 13-2 in conference play.

Had the Lions been eligible for postseason awards in 2017, they would have been the South Division regular season champions with a 13-2 league mark.

Having nabbed three first-place votes from coaches, don't be surprised if Emmanuel makes a magical run in its first season of postseason eligibility and challenges Barton for the crown.

Players to Watch:

Julie de Blanck (Sr.) - Middle Blocker
Aysha Avery (Jr.) - Libero

3. Belmont Abbey College: The Crusaders rank third with 78 points from coaches. In 2017, Belmont Abbey posted a 17-12 overall record and 9-5 record in Conference Carolinas.

The Crusaders are coming off a runner-up finish in last season Women's Volleyball Championship to Barton. Possibly making the North the division to watch in 2018, as it boasts two of the top three teams in the preseason poll.

Three all-conference honorees are back for the Crusaders in Cassidy Bonito, Mackenzie Chrapliwy and Sarah Kenney. Kenney is the conference's reigning Defensive Player of the Year and will be the Abbey's senior leader.

Belmont Abbey is regularly in contention for the Conference Carolinas title and 2018 will be no different. With this team back you have to like the Crusaders chance to dethrone the Bulldogs in the North.

Players to Watch:

*Cassidy Bonito (Jr.) - Setter
*Mackenzie Chrapliwy (Jr.) - Outside Hitter
*Sarah Kenney (Sr.) - Libero

4. North Greenville University: The Crusaders enter the year with 74 points, which is good enough for fourth-place in the preseason poll. NGU went 20-10 overall and 11-5 in conference play in 2017.

North Greenville is the reigning South Division champion and one of three South teams ranked in the top-five, which shows the South's depth in 2018.

The Crusaders return all-conference setter Sara Miller and all-tournament pick Courtney Williamson. North Greenville has been on the rise the last few years and it should be expected for the team to continue its upward climb in 2018.

Players to Watch:

Annamarie Johnston (Jr.) - Middle Blocker
*Sara Miller (Jr.) - Setter
Courtney Williamson (Sr.) - Outside Hitter

5. Southern Wesleyan University: The Warriors enter the season ranked fifth with 71 points and one first-place vote. SWU is coming off a 20-15 overall record and 9-6 conference mark.

The Warriors picked up the last first-place vote from coaches and should be a sign that this team will be a tough test for the entire league. The team has seven new players, but a focal point of the team will be all-conference returnee Katie Anderson.

It is no telling how the season will actually play out, but the South will be a very fun Division to watch in Conference Carolinas.

Players to Watch:

*Katie Anderson (Sr.) - Outside Hitter
Olivia Johnson (So.) - Outside Hitter
Annika Jones (Sr.) - Setter

6. King University: The Tornado tallied 51 points and are in sixth-place to open 2018. King went 11-15 overall in 2017 while posting a 6-8 conference mark.

The Tornado are coming off a tough season, but have a solid crop of talent returning this season, including all-conference pick Cathy Scaniffe. King's success this season will most likely hang on how quick the team can gel together prior league play, especially playing in the North against Barton and Belmont Abbey.

Players to Watch:

Abby Anderson (Sr.) - Setter
Kayley Holtzclaw (So.) - Middle Hitter
*Cathy Scaniffe (Sr.) - Outside Hitter

7. Limestone College: The Saints collected 50 points from coaches and are ranked seventh. Limestone posted an 8-14 overall record and 8-7 conference mark.

The Saints will look to Victoria Norwood, a 2017 all-conference selection, to be the leader of this team this season. Limestone will have its hands full in the South, but should prove as a tough test for anyone it faces.

Players to Watch:

Mia Bergan (Jr.) - Setter
Madison Ford (Jr.) - Middle Blocker
*Victoria Norwood (Sr.) - Right Side Hitter

8. University of Mount Olive: The Trojans received 34 points and enter the year ranked eighth. Mount Olive finished 2017 with a 10-19 overall record and 5-9 conference mark.

Players to Watch:

Cyerra Carter (So.) - Middle Blocker
Ania Keene (Jr.) - Outside Hitter
Kamber Skeen (Jr.) - Setter

9. Lees-McRae College: The Bobcats garnered 27 points from Conference coaches to enter the season ranked ninth. Lees-McRae went 7-18 overall in 2017, which included a 4-10 conference record.

Players to Watch:

Elissa Small (Jr.) - Outside Hitter
Caitlyn Smirne (So.) - Outside Hitter
Kaci Thornton (Sr.) - Outside Hitter

10. Erskine College: The Fleet check-in 2018 at No. 10 after earning 21 points from coaches. Erskine went 2-23 overall record and 1-14 in conference play last season.

Players to Watch:

11. Converse College: The Valkyries close out the poll in 11th after collecting 15 points from Conference coaches. Converse posted a 4-22 overall record and 1-14 conference mark in 2017.

Players to Watch:

Sydney Allen (So.) - Libero
Kiara Cannon (So.) - Outside Hitter
Alexis Pitts (So.) - Middle Blocker

*denotes 2017 All-Conference Carolinas selection

2018 Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll (Overall)

School (first-place votes)	Total
1. Barton (7)	97
2. Emmanuel (3)	87
3. Belmont Abbey	78
4. North Greenville	74
5. Southern Wesleyan (1)	71
6. King	51
7. Limestone	50
8. Mount Olive	34
9. Lees-McRae	27
10. Erskine	21
11. Converse	15

2018 Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll (North)

School (first-place votes)	Total
1. Barton (7)	97
2. Belmont Abbey	78
3. King	51
4. Mount Olive	34
5. Lees-McRae	27

2018 Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll (South)

School (first-place votes)	Total
1. Emmanuel (3)	87
2. North Greenville	74
3. Southern Wesleyan (1)	71
4. Limestone	50
5. Erskine	21
6. Converse	15

Conference Carolinas is a NCAA Division II athletics conference made up of 11 teams from Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. These institutions consist of: Barton College, Belmont Abbey, Converse College, Emmanuel College, Erskine College, King University, Lees-McRae College, Limestone College, University of Mount Olive, North Greenville University, and Southern Wesleyan.