Liberty Predicted to Finish 2nd in Big South Preseason Volleyball Poll
8/3/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Liberty volleyball team has been voted second in the Big South preseason coaches' poll, released on Wednesday. Additionally, junior setter Anna Willey and sophomore libero Margaret Latchford were named to the Preseason All-Big South team.
This marks the second year in a row that Liberty has been voted second in the preseason rankings. It is also the second straight year in which two Lady Flames appear on the Preseason All-Big South team.
High Point was selected as the preseason favorite after posting a regular-season runner-up finish last season, receiving five first-place votes and 76 total points. The Lady Flames finished second in preseason voting, with two first-place mentions and 68 points. Radford was listed third with 58 points, including one first-place vote, while 2015 Big South Volleyball Championship runner-up Campbell was voted fourth, at 53 points.
Winthrop (48 points) appears fifth, followed by UNC Asheville (41) in sixth. Charleston Southern is seventh with the final first-place vote and 27 points, while Gardner-Webb (21) and Presbyterian (13) round out the poll.
Liberty went 14-14 last season, placing third overall in the Big South with a 9-5 record in conference play. It was the 10th year in a row that the Lady Flames had recorded nine or more conference victories. Liberty is 112-32 (.778) in Big South play over the last 10 seasons.
Willey, a native of Davenport, Iowa, is the only setter listed on this year's Big South Preseason All-Conference team. Last year, her first as Liberty's starting setter, Willey received Big South All-Conference honorable mention after ranking second in the Big South with 10.24 assists per set overall. She posted a team-high 12 double-doubles, also adding 12 40-assist matches, seven 50-assist contests and one 60-assist match.
Hailing from Virginia Beach, Va., Latchford is the only libero to appear on the preseason all-conference team. In 2015, she was named to the Big South All-Freshman team and VaSID All-State second team. Latchford placed fifth in the Big South with 4.67 digs per set overall, while her 502 total digs were the most by a freshman in program history. She totaled 11 20-dig matches and three 30-dig contests.
Liberty opens its 2016 schedule on Aug. 26, taking on Pitt in a tournament hosted by Kennesaw State in Kennesaw, Ga. The Lady Flames' home opener will take place, Sept. 2, as Liberty opens its home invitational against USC Upstate. The team begins conference play at High Point on Sept. 23.
For the first time since 2007, Liberty will host the 2016 Big South Volleyball Championship. The conference tournament will be held Nov. 18-20 at the Vines Center. The winner of the Big South Volleyball Championship will earn the conference's automatic qualifying bid to the 2016 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship.
2016 Big South Conference Preseason Volleyball Poll
Team (First-place votes) – Points
1. High Point (5) 76
2. Liberty (2) 68
3. Radford (1) 58
4. Campbell 53
5. Winthrop 48
6. UNC Asheville 41
7. Charleston Southern (1) 27
8. Gardner-Webb 21
9. Presbyterian 13
2016 Preseason All-Big South Team
Haley Barnes, High Point, Sr., OH (Preseason Player of the Year)
Emma Weakland, Winthrop, Sr., RS
Molly Livingston, High Point, Soph., MB
Madison Vaughn, UNC Asheville, Sr., MB
Maddie Palmer, Radford, Jr., OH
Anna Willey, Liberty, Jr., S
Margaret Latchford, Liberty, Soph., LIB
