AMCC Volleyball Preseason Poll

2008 VOLLEYBALL
PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

COACHES PICK FROSTBURG STATE
TO WIN AMCC CHAMPIONSHIP

The 2007 champion Frostburg State University has been selected by the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference coaches to successfully defend their volleyball crown. Penn State Behrend, was voted to the #2 spot, while Pitt-Bradford is picked to finish third.

Frostburg State outside hitter Brooke Wintering (Glenelg, MD/Glenelg HS) is the coaches' pick for Preseason Player of the Year. The AMCC Player of the Year in 2007, Winterling led the Bobcats to the team title with a .234 hitting percentage, averaging nearly 5 kills per game (537 total) to go with 263 digs and 51 blocks. She is a two-time first team all-conference selection and was the conference Newcomer of the Year in 2006.

This season the conference welcomes Franciscan University of Steubenville to its ranks; the Barons are entering year two of NCAA provisional membership. The AMCC kicks off conference play on Saturday, September 13, and the championship will be Saturday, November 8, hosted by the number #1 seed. The winner will receive the AMCC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

AMCC VOLLEYBALL POLL
2008 Preseason Rankings*

1.) Frostburg State (1)
2.) Penn State Behrend (1)
3.) Pitt-Bradford (5)
4.) Penn State Altoona (3)
5.) Pitt-Greensburg (5)
6.) Mount Aloysius (7)
7.) Medaille (10)
8.) Hilbert (9)
9.) La Roche (8)
10.) Franciscan (N/A)

* Number in parentheses is order of regular season finish in 2007

Preseason Player of the Year
BROOKE WINTERLING
FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY

FRANCSICAN UNIVERSITY Head Coach Kelly Herrmann (3rd year) 2007: 12-19 overall
Junior MH Alison Aeschliman (Steubenville, OH/Steubenville Catholic Central)...Led the Lady Barons in total hits last season and earned the MVP award for the 2007 season. Junior S Teresa Marcotte (Tempe, AZ/Tempe Preparatory Academy)...Floor leader for the Lady Barons, ranked #1 on the team in assists as well as serving percentage.
FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY Head Coach Peter Letourneau (4th year) 2007: 8-1 AMCC, 21-11 overall
Junior OH Brooke Winterling (Glenelg, MD/Glenelg)...2007 AMCC Player of the Year and first team all-conference selection...led the Bobcats to the team title with a .234 hitting percentage, averaging nearly 5 kills per game (537 total)...also contribued 263 digs and 51 blocks...conference Newcomer of the Year in 2006. Sophomore OH Jamie Thomas (Laurel, MD/Reservoir)... Honorable mention All-AMCC last season...stats included 259 kills, 58 assists, 54 aces, 424 digs, 50 blocks.
HILBERT COLLEGE Head Coach Mary Easterbrook (2nd year) 2007: 1-8 AMCC, 10-15 overall
Sophomore OH Erica Page (Angola, NY/Lakeshore)...No information available. Senior S Melissa Kick (Blasdell, NY/Mount Mercy)...No information available.
LA ROCHE COLLEGE Head Coach Megan Snyder (3rd year) 2007: 2-7 AMCC, 5-24 overall
Junior OH Ann Bemis (Pittsburgh, PA/Baldwin)...Second team all-conference last season...led the Redhawks with 396 kills and 538 digs...team MVP. Sophomore S Veronica Sheehan (Gallitzen, PA/Penn Cambria)...Led the team with 569 assists...ranked second on the team with 42 service aces.
MEDAILLE COLLEGE Head Coach Jacob Beiter (1st year) 2007: 0-9 AMCC, 5-20 overall
Sophomore OH Holley McCallister (Rochester, NY/Rush Henrietta)...Led the Mavs with 49 service aces. Junior DS Sonia Sloan (Rochester, NY/Hilton)...Contributed 3.02 digs per game in 2007.
MOUNT ALOYSIUS COLLEGE Head Coach Brianna Baker (1st year) 2007: 3-6 AMCC, 15-13 overall
Senior S Katie Byrne (Altoona, PA/Bishop Guilfoyle)...Averaged 9.83 assists per game in 2007...ranked #4 in AMCC in assists.
PENN STATE ALTOONA Head Coach Phil Peterman (1st year) 2007: 7-2 AMCC, 21-9 overall
Junior OH Olivia Hallahan (Huntingdon, PA/Huntingdon)...Sarted all 30 matches for the Lions in 2007...averaged 1.72 kills and .68 blocks per game...the lone upperclassmen and one of only three returnees for first-year head coach Phil Peterman. Sophomore L Jess Tirko (State College, PA/State College)...Saw court time in all 30 matches a season ago playing behind Penn State Altoona all-time digs leader Megan Goss...recorded 426 digs (4.14 dpg) and committed only 13 reception errors while tallying 46 service aces on the year.
PENN STATE BEHREND Head Coach Phil Pisano (5th year) 2007: 8-1 AMCC, 18-12 overall
Senior DS Brittany Hennessy (Hopewell, PA/Hopewell)...Honorable Mention All-AMCC in 2007 … racked up 634 total digs, (6.22 digs/game), 42 service aces … enters senior season four digs from school career digs record. Junior MH Sheila Ogden (Grove City, PA/Grove City)...First team All-AMCC in 2007 … team MVP … tallied 315 kills, (3.15 kills/game), 102 digs, and 81 total blocks.
PITT-BRADFORD Head Coach Tina Phillips (6th year) 2007: 5-4 AMCC, 14-9 overall
Senior MH Jen Cole (Cyclone, PA/Smethport)...Second team all-conference last season...led the Panthers in blocks (1.05 bpg), ranked #4 in the AMCC...also ranked #3 in hitting percentage in the league (.318), best on the team. Junior OH Jackie Podrasky (Medina, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary)...Conference Newcomer of the Year and second team All-AMCC in 2007...led the team in kills (3.48 kpg) and ranked #5 in the league...also ranked #7 in the conference in digs (4.68 dpg).
PITT-GREENSBURG Head Coach Leroy Simms (6th year) 2007: 5-4 AMCC, 8-18 overall
Sophomore OH Mary Cook (Greensburg, PA/Greensburg Salem)...2007 All-AMCC honorable mention...led the Bobcats in kills (234) as a freshman. Sophomore MB Klynn Smith (Shippenville, PA/Clarion)...Ranked third in kills and led the team in blocks (25 solo, 13 assisted) in her first year of college competition.