Aug. 22, 2008
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. -
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) volleyball preseason poll is out and UMES is at the top of the list.
The Lady Hawks posted a 24-4 record last year and finished 10-0 in conference play. The outlook for second year head coach Don Metil looks promising, as he returns six starters including the 2007 MEAC Player of the Year Whitney Johnson and three other All-MEAC players. Johnson ranked in the top three in the league in kills, hitting percentage and points.
According to the 2008 MEAC Volleyball Predicted Order of Finish, as voted on by the leagues head coaches and sports information directors, UMES came in first in the northern division, followed by Morgan State, Delaware State, Howard and Hampton.
"The preseason poll voting does not always take into account players lost and players gained," said Metil. "It is an honor, but our focus is on the season. By the looks of all the teams' rosters, everyone did a great job recruiting. We're going to have to be prepared to play if we want to repeat our 10-0 record."
The Lady Hawks will be road tested this season with a schedule that boasts only five home matches. It will begin Friday, August 29 at the Virginia Tech Hokie Invite at 7 p.m. in Blacksburg, Va. The first home matches will tell whether the undefeated conference record will continue to hold with Morgan State on Friday, October 3 at 7 p.m. and much anticipated Delaware State on Sunday, October 5 at 3 p.m.
