Thursday, August 20, 2009

MACON, Ga. - Lipscomb earned top billing in the Atlantic Sun Conference preseason coaches poll, edging out Belmont, the 2008 conference champion and FGCU, two-time defending regular-season champion, the conference announced on Thursday.

The Lady Bisons had a 17-3 A-Sun record last season and will return six starters, including 2009 Preseason All-Conference Player of the Year Alex Kelly. Last season, the junior, from Kansas City, Mo., won the A-Sun Conference Player of the Year award, made the First-Team All-Atlantic Sun, the A-Sun All-Tournament Team, earned Academic All-Conference and became the first in Lady Bisons history to earn three A-Sun Player of the Week awards (9/22, 9/29 and 10/13) in a single year. Kelly owned the distinction as the only player in the conference to win the A-Sun Player of the Week award three times during the season. Kelly led the A-Sun overall with 499 kills, 586 points (4.80 per set), a .332 hitting percentage, and finished second in A-Sun matches in points (366.5, 5.02), hitting percentage (.362) and kills (315, 4.32). Kelly ranked 31st in the NCAA in kills per set (4.09) and 79th in hit percentage (.332).

Stefine 'Jake' Pease joined her teammate Kelly on the 2009 Preseason All-Conference Team. The junior, from Berryton, Kan., had a stellar 2008 season where she made the First-Team All-Atlantic Sun, the A-Sun All-Tournament Team and earned Academic All-Conference. Pease also ranked 89th in the NCAA in assists per set (10.12), first in the A-Sun in assists (1,235, 10.12 per set) and first in A-Sun matches only in assists (762, 10.44).

The Belmont Bruins feature a pair of Preseason All-Atlantic Sun performers as they begin defense of their second title in three years. One such player, Jenny Gray, a senior from Greenwood, Ind., shined in her 2008 campaign where she earned a spot on the Second-Team All-Atlantic Sun and earned Academic All-Conference. Gray, one of two Bruins to play in all 33 matches and 124 sets, finished fourth in the A-Sun in hitting percentage during conference play (.312).

Fellow Bruin Channing Salava joined Gray on the Preseason All-Atlantic Sun squad. The sophomore, from Clearwater, Fla., had an astounding first season at Belmont. Salava received the A-Sun Freshman of the Year award, made the A-Sun All-Tournament Team, the All-Atlantic Sun Second-Team, the A-Sun All-Freshman Team (as a unanimous selection) and earned Academic All-Conference. Salava also played and started in all 33 matches and 124 sets as a true freshman. She ranked 21st nationally in aces per set (0.47), helping the Bruins to a top-five national ranking in that category. Salava finished second in the A-Sun with 9.64 assists per set, in total assists with 1,196 and ranked fourth in the A-Sun in hitting percentage (.323).

FGCU took third in the poll, five points behind Belmont. In the Eagles’ two seasons in the A-Sun they have carried a 28-3 league record. FGCU's representation on the Preseason All-Atlantic Sun team comes courtesy of Jacqueline Cowden. The junior, from Danville, Calif., started in all 33 games at Temple University in 2008, and led the Owls with 114 blocks. In Atlantic 10 play, she finished first with 53 blocks and second with 1.10 blocks per game.

Jacksonville landed fourth in the poll, just 14 points in back of FGCU, and placed libero Shelley Walroth on the 2009 Preseason All-Atlantic Sun team. In 2008, Walroth, a senior from Cincinnati, earned Academic All-Conference and was ranked as one of the top liberos in the nation. Walroth ranked fourth in the nation with an average of 5.87 digs per set. Walroth enters the season needing 99 digs to break the A-Sun career record, currently held by Lipscomb"s Ann Mullins at 1,969 and 129 digs to become only the 26th player in NCAA history to reach the 2,000-dig milestone.

Rounding out the preseason poll, Mercer, ETSU, UNF, Kennesaw State, Campbell, Stetson and USC Upstate secured the fifth through 11th slots. Mercer junior Libby Hansch from Fort Collins, Colo., made the 2009 Preseason All-Atlantic Sun Team. In 2008, Hansch had a knockout season, starting and playing in all 29 games. Hansch finished second on her team in kills (232), kills per game (2.09) and tallied 101 blocks (.91 per game).

UNF returns eight players, including Kaley Read, to round out the Preseason All-Atlantic Sun squad. The junior, from Tampa, Fla., saw action in all 32 games, and led the team with 430 kills, 3.50 kills per set, 343 digs, 2.79 digs per set and is tied for first on the team with 123 blocks, and .75 blocks per set.

The volleyball season begins on August 28 and will conclude in Fort Myers, Fla., as FGCU hosts its first Atlantic Sun Championship. The Championship takes place from November 19-21.

The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.

Tournament Champion: FGCU

Preseason Player of the Year: Alex Kelly - Lipscomb