USA South releases preseason volleyball poll

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Maryville College and Averett University were the top selections in the USA South Athletic Conference's preseason volleyball poll.

The overall conference poll and two divisional polls were each released on Thursday. The two divisional polls only include votes from the coaches within that division. The overall poll includes votes from all 13 conference coaches.

With the addition of first-year members Huntingdon and Covenant, this is the first season the USA South has split into divisions for volleyball. At the end of the regular season, the top five teams from the North Division and the top three teams from the South Division will qualify for the USA South conference tournament in Martinsville, Va.

In the overall poll, No. 1 Maryville earned 11 of a possible 13 first-place votes and 143 points. Averett was second with two first-place votes and 131 points. Huntingdon was 10th with 58 points.

In the South Division poll, Maryville received four of the five first-place votes and 16 points, followed by Covenant in second with 12 points, Piedmont in third with one first-place vote and 11 points, Huntingdon in fourth with seven points and LaGrange in fifth with four points.

Huntingdon begins the season on Aug. 30 with the Huntingdon College Jubilee in Roland Arena.

The complete polls are below.

2013 USA South Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll (Overall)

1. Maryville (11 first-place votes), 143 points

2. Averett (2), 131 points

3. Piedmont, 109 points

4. Covenant, 105 points

5. N.C. Wesleyan, 102 points

6. Methodist, 84 points.

7. Meredith, 77 points

8. William Peace, 65 points

9. Greensboro, 61 points

10. Huntingdon, 58 points

11. LaGrange, 39 points

12. Ferrum, 28 points

13. Mary Baldwin, 12 points

2013 USA South Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll (South Division)

1. Maryville (4 first-place votes), 16 points

2. Covenant, 12 points

3. Piedmont, (1) 11 points

4. Huntingdon, 7 points

5. LaGrange, 4 points

2013 USA South Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll (North Division)

1. Averett (7 first-place votes), 49 points

2. N.C. Wesleyan, (1), 42 points

3. Methodist, 33 points.

4. Meredith, 32 points

5. William Peace, 25 points

6. Greensboro, 23 points

7. Ferrum, 13 points

8. Mary Baldwin, 7 points