2012 VOLLEYBALL
PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
 

COACHES SELECT PENN ST. ALTOONA
TO WIN AMCC TITLE


Can they repeat?  The AMCC coaches think so, and with 7 first place votes have selected Penn St. Altoona to win their second straight league title and third overall in 2012.  Two-time AMCC champion Penn State Behrend is picked to finish second, followed by 2010 winner Pitt-Bradford, ranked third.

The coaches tabbed Medaille College senior outside hitter Meghan Fahy as the league's Preseason Player of the Year.  When 2011 concluded, Fahy was a first team all-conference selection and AMCC Player of the Year.  She averaged 4.92 kills/set (472 total kills) and reached over the1,000 kill mark to become the program's all-time leader with 1,027.
The AMCC kicks off conference play on Saturday, September 22, and the championship will be Saturday, November 3, hosted by the number #1 seed.  The winner will receive the AMCC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
  

AMCC VOLLEYBALL POLL
2012 Preseason Rankings*

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

* Number in parentheses is order of regular season finish in 2011


Preseason Player of the Year
MEGHAN FAHY
Medaille College
 

OTHER PLAYERS TO WATCH...

D'YOUVILLE COLLEGE
Head Coach John Hutton (9th year)
 2011:  0-9 AMCC, 5-21 overall


Senior MB Luciana Payne (Buffalo, NY/Mount Saint Mary Academy)...Third team all-conference selection last season...put down 2.87 kills per game to rank #6 in the league, along with recording 0.52 blocks per game. 

Junior L Lara Svensson (Tonawanda, NY/Sweet Home HS)...Her 250 digs (4.03 dps) ranked #9 in the conference in 2011.
 

FRANCSICAN UNIVERSITY
Head Coach Kelly Herrmann (10th year)
 2011:   5-4 AMCC, 12-13 overall


Senior MH Anna Cain (Williamsburg, IA/Homeschool)...First team all-conference selection last season...led the AMCC with a .380 hitting percentage and ranked second in kills/set with 4.14...named Franciscan University Athlete of the Year 2012...team captain.

Sophomore S Amy O’Keefe (Pittsburgh, PA/Seton La Salle HS)...Led the Barons to a #2 conference team ranking in kills/set and assists/set...ranked 4th among individuals in the AMCC with 8.54 assists/set.
 

HILBERT COLLEGE
Head Coach Amanda Logue (4th year)
2011:  2-7 AMCC, 6-16 overall


Junior S Shannon Memminger (Amherst, NY/Sweet Home)...Racked up 498 assists (6.64 aps) and 50 service aces in 2011, leading the team in both categories. 

Junior OH Chelsea Reischuck (East Aurora NY/East Aurora)...Led the Hawks with 137 kills (2.11 kps) along with 22 service aces, 214 digs and 18 blocks.
 

LA ROCHE COLLEGE
Head Coach Nicole Bajuszik (1st year)
2011:  1-8 AMCC, 6-26 overall


Junior OH Shawn Neiswonger (Bethlehem PA/Red Bank Valley)...Third team all-conference selection last season with a .275 hitting average and 2.65 kills per game.

Senior S Emily Foust (Somerset, PA/Somerset HS)...Recorded 5.1 assists per game in 2011...voted the winner of both the LRC Captains Award and team MVP award.
 

MEDAILLE COLLEGE
Head Coach Jacob Beiter (5th year)
2011:  7-2 AMCC, 13-15 overall


Senior OH Meghan Fahy (Kendall, NY/Kendall)...2011 first team all-conference and AMCC Player of the Year ...averaged 4.92 kills/set (472 total kills)...reached over 1,000 kill mark and currently has most kills in Medaille program history with 1,027...team captain.

Senior MB Robyn Stanley (Cheektowaga, NY/Sacred Heart HS)...2011 second team all-conference...led the Mavs in both aces (58) and blocks (73)...finished with 163 kills and a .345 hitting percentage.
 

MOUNT ALOYSIUS COLLEGE
Head Coach Brianna Baker (5th year)
 2011:  4-5 AMCC, 10-17 overall


Senior S Lauren Oldham (Nanty Glo, PA/Bishop Carroll HS)...Voted MVP by team 2011...recorded 658 assists and 6.86 assists/set, hitting the 1,000+ career assists mark...also contributed 10 SA, 122 kills (1.28 kps), 240 digs, and 51 total blocks...ranked 4th in AMCC with a .299 hitting percentage, and ranked 5th for assists.

Senior OH Chelsea Perehinec (Altoona, PA/Bishop Guilfoyle)...Third team all-conference selection last season...racked up 166 kills (1.78 kps), 25 SA, 53 blocks and 50 assists...ranked 6th in AMCC with 571 digs (6.14 dps)...also voted to the All-Sportsmanship Team.
 

PENN STATE ALTOONA
Head Coach Phil Peterman (5th year)
2011:  9-0 AMCC,18-12 overall


Sophomore MH Robin Tabaka (Greensburg, PA/Hempfield HS)...Named the 2011 AMCC Newcomer of the Year and a member of the all-conference third team, the only freshman to get all-conference recognition...ranked sixth in the conference in blocks (63) and seventh in hitting percentage (.226) to go with 138 kills.  

Sophomore RS Moira Corrigan (Havertown, PA/Haverford HS)...Provided a huge block last year on the right side, finishing second on the team with 62...hit .200, and had 172 kills on the year.
 

PENN STATE BEHREND
Head Coach Phil Pisano (9th year)
2011:  6-3 AMCC, 15-16 overall


Senior OH Mary Sperry (Conneaut Lake, PA/Conneaut Lake)...First-team All-AMCC in 2011...led the team with 219 kills while also recording 408 digs, 19 aces, and 19 blocks...ranked seventh in the league in digs/set (4.53) and eighth in kills/set (2.43). 

Junior S Chelsea Magnusen (Plum, PA/Plum HS)...Second team all-conference last season...led the AMCC in assists/set (8.48); also tallied 253 digs, 108 kills, 31 blocks and 29 aces.
 

PITT-BRADFORD
Head Coach Tina Phillips (10th year)
2011:  8-1 AMCC, 12-14 overall


Senior MH Maggie Johnson (Hilton, NY/Hilton)...Three time all-AMCC performer, including second team in 2011...ranked #3 in the league with 87 blocks (.88 bps) and #9 with 229 kills (2.31 kps), best among all Panther players. 

Sophomore RS Taylor McMillen (New Bethlehem, PA/Redbank Valley HS)...Strong freshman year start, ranking third on the team in kills (111) and blocks (52) to go with 82 digs.
 

PITT-GREENSBURG
Head Coach Leroy Simms (10th year)
2011:  3-6 AMCC, 8-23 overall


Sophomore RS Nika Simonson (Valenica, PA/Peters Township HS)...Named AMCC Player of the Week and selected for the W&J All-Tournament Team...second in team hitting percentage (.154) and services aces (19) and 4th in digs (115)...suffered a season-ending injury after the second conference game.

Junior MH/OH Jaime Barkman (Aliquippa, PA/Hopewell HS)...Despite missing 30 sets because of injury, still finished the season ranked third on the team in kills (100), hitting percentage, blocks (20) and aces (20).