NEW ORLEANS – The preseason predictions for the 2018 Sun Belt Conference women’s volleyball season are in and Coastal Carolina and Texas State are tabbed as the division favorites and 11 All-Conference selections from a year ago are forecasted to be among the league’s top performers, as voted by the league’s 12 head coaches.
The preseason poll has Coastal Carolina atop the East Division with eight first-place votes and 67 points, just ahead of South Alabama’s four first-place votes and 63 points. Texas State sits as the clear favorite repeat as West Division champion with 10 first-place votes and 70 points.
Highlighting the preseason All-Sun Belt selections are Arkansas State senior outside hitter Carlisa May as Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Texas State junior defensive specialist Micah Dinwiddle as Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and Arkansas State senior setter Ellie Watkins as Preseason Setter of the Year.
May took home Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year honors for a second-straight year and Sun Belt Championship All-Tournament Team honors in 2017. She posted one of the highest kills totals in the country at 507 and had her best defensive season of her career with 75 digs and 41 blocks. May was named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week honors four times, HERO Sports Division I Player of the Week twice and Southwest All-Region honorable mention by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
Dinwiddie returns after garnering Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honors and leading the Bobcats to the second round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship as a sophomore. The three-time Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week selection broke the school record for digs in a single season (599) and led the league with 5.31 assists per set in conference matches.
Watkins, a second-team All-Sun Belt selection a year ago, led the conference and was 26th in the nation in assists per set at 11.07. She posted four double-doubles, all in assists and digs, and contributed 34 blocks, including seven block solos.
The 2018 season gets underway Friday, Aug. 24 with all 12 teams in action. The 2018 Sun Belt Women’s Volleyball Championship is set for Nov. 15-18 at the GSU Sports Arena in Atlanta, Ga., hosted by Georgia State.
2018 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Coaches’ Preseason All-Conference Team
*Carlisa May, Arkansas State (Sr., OH, Lee's Summit, Mo.)
**Ellie Watkins, Arkansas State (Sr., S, Weldon Spring, Mo.)
Kyla Manning, Coastal Carolina (So., OH, Atlanta, Ga.)
*Lauren Reichard, Georgia Southern (Sr., MH, Wrightsville, Pa.)
*Dree'Ana Abram, Louisiana (Jr., MB, Marshall, Texas)
*Hali Wisnoskie, Louisiana (So., OH, Columbus, Texas)
*Kelley Hartman, South Alabama (Jr., MB, Woodstock, Ga.)
**Zhanelle Geathers, UTA (Jr., OH, Lindale, Texas)
*Madison Daigle, Texas State (Sr., MB, Baton Rouge, La.)
*Micah Dinwiddie, Texas State (Jr., DS, Lewisville, Texas)
*Amy Pflughaupt, Texas State (Sr., OH, El Campo, Texas)
**Megan Porter, Texas State (Sr., OH, Southlake, Texas)
*Denotes 2017 All-Sun Belt First Team | **Denotes 2017 All-Sun Belt Second Team
2018 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Coaches’ Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Carlisa May, Arkansas State (Sr., OH, Lee's Summit, Mo.)
2018 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Coaches’ Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Micah Dinwiddie, Texas State (Jr., DS, Lewisville, Texas)
2018 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Coaches’ Preseason Setter of the Year
Ellie Watkins, Arkansas State (Sr., S, Weldon Spring, Mo.)
2018 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Coaches’ Preseason Poll
first-place votes in parentheses
| East Division |
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
| 1. |
Coastal Carolina (8) |
67 |
| 2. |
South Alabama (4) |
63 |
| 3. |
Appalachian State |
44 |
| 4. |
Troy |
37 |
| 5. |
Georgia State |
22 |
| 6. |
Georgia Southern |
19 |
| West Division |
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
| 1. |
Texas State (10) |
70 |
| 2. |
Arkansas State (1) |
58 |
| 3. |
Louisiana (1) |
51 |
| 4. |
UTA |
32 |
| 5. |
Little Rock |
27 |
| 6. |
ULM |
14 |