Francis Marion Picked to Secure Title in Women’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll

8/18/2022 10:00:00 AM

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Defending tournament champion Francis Marion has been picked to repeat in the 2022 Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll.

The conference office officially unveiled the preseason poll on Aug. 18, 2022. The preseason poll was voted on by the league's head coaches.

Francis Marion won its first-ever Conference Carolinas tournament championship last fall after joining the league in August. The Patriots received seven first-place votes and 134 points overall to secure the top spot in the 2022 preseason tally. UNC Pembroke was picked second with 130 points and four first-place votes while back-to-back tournament runners-up North Greenville was selected third with 129 points and the remaining two first-place tallies.

Emmanuel, the 2018 and 2019 tournament champions, were picked fourth with 117 points followed by King (96), Mount Olive (85), Belmont Abbey (81), Erskine (64), Barton (56), Lees-McRae (50), Converse (32), Chowan (28) and Southern Wesleyan (12).

The 2022 season gets underway on Friday, Aug. 26 with conference play beginning on Sept. 7. The first and second rounds of the conference tournament will take place on campus sites at the higher seeds on Nov. 5. The quarterfinals, semifinals and championship, Nov. 11-13, will be played in Pembroke, North Carolina on the campus of UNC Pembroke.

2022 Conference Carolinas
Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll

School	Total (First Place)
Francis Marion	134 (7)
UNC Pembroke	130 (4)
North Greenville	129 (2)
Emmanuel	117
King	96
Mount Olive	85
Belmont Abbey	81
Erskine	64
Barton	56
Lees-McRae	50
Converse	32
Chowan	28
Southern Wesleyan	12

2022 Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball
Players to Watch

Barton

Allison Gambill, Sr., Outside Hitter, Taylorsville, North Carolina (Fall 2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Lily Haaga, So., Right Side Hitter, Herriman, Utah
Brooke Clute, So., Libero, Baldwinsville, New York

Belmont Abbey

Caitlyn Faber, Sr., Setter, Pompano Beach, Florida
Baylea Botello, Sr., Middle Blocker, Midlothian, Virginia
Cameron Young, Jr., Outside Hitter, Omaha, Nebraska

Chowan

Anixa Rosa-Martinez, Sr., Outside Hitter, San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico
Nyah Powers, Sr., Middle Blocker, Archdale, North Carolina
Chloe Putnam, Sr., Middle Blocker, Winchester, Virginia

Converse

Jasmine Finkley, Sr., Middle Hitter, Blythewood, South Carolina (Spring 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Savannah Ducote, Grad., Setter, Lexington, South Carolina (Spring 2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Evelyn Fitz, Jr., Outside Hitter, Columbia, South Carolina

Emmanuel

Taylor Roberts, Gr., Middle Blocker, Roma, Georgia (Fall 2021 Defensive Player of the Year, Second Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Gabrielle McGlamery, Jr., Setter, Fayetteville, Georgia (Fall 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Alaina Emmiger, Jr., Outside Hitter, Lilburn, Georgia

Erskine

Laney Gaston, Sr., Setter, Anderson, South Carolina
Meredith Hollinger, Sr., Outside Hitter, Belton, South Carolina (Fall 2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Megan Thees, Jr., Defensive Specialist, Fort Mill, South Carolina

Francis Marion

Kaylee Gillespie, Jr., Setter, Pickens, South Carolina (Fall 2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Gracie Davis, Sr., Outside Hitter, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (Fall 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Lexi Albright, Jr., Outside Hitter, Easley, South Carolina (Fall 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)

King

Julie Danner, Sr., Outside Hitter, Berthoud, Colorado (Fall 2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas selection, three-time First Team All-Conference Carolinas selection, 2019 Conference Carolinas Player of the Year, 2019 First Team AVCA/D2CCA All-Southeast Region, 2019 AVCA Honorable Mention All-America, 2018 Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year)
Hailee Blankenship, Jr., Outside Hitter/Right Side, Goode, Virginia
Katie Harless, Jr., Setter/Right Side, Abingdon, Virginia

Lees-McRae

Destiny Holley, Jr., Middle Blocker, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Hailey Gilreath, So., Outside Hitter, Mooresville, North Carolina
Mahea Chun, Sr., Defensive Specialist/Libero, Honolulu, Hawaii

Mount Olive

Amara Eziakonwa, Sr., Middle Blocker/Right Side/Outside Hitter, Tampa, Florida (Fall 2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Spring 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Morgan Prots, So., Defensive Specialist/Libero, Whispering Pines, North Carolina (Spring 2021 Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team)
Camryn Huber, Sr., Middle Blocker/Right Side/Outside Hitter, Buies Creek, North Carolina

North Greenville

Abigail Durham, R-So., Opposite/Outside Hitter, Easley, South Carolina (Fall 2021 Second Team All-Region, Conference Carolinas Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Spring 2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Paige Campbell (Formerly Beisecker), R-Sr., Middle Blocker, Hartsville, South Carolina (Fall 2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas, Spring 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas, 2018 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Whitley Kahler, R-Jr., Libero, Camden, South Carolina (Fall 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)

Southern Wesleyan

Amber Bass, Sr., Outside Hitter, Chester, South Carolina
Trinity Eichman, So., Middle Blocker/Right Side Hitter, Anderson, South Carolina
Ashley Sexton, Jr., Setter, Williamston, South Carolina

UNC Pembroke

Brianna Warren, Sr., Middle Blocker, Indian Trail, North Carolina (Fall 2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team, D2CCCA All-Region, NCCSIA All-State)
Katie Pressley, So., Setter, Indian Trail, North Carolina (Fall 2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas, Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year, NCCSIA All-State)
Shannon Skryd, Sr., Outside Hitter, Naperville, Illinois (Fall 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas, NCCSIA All-State)