Armstrong Atlantic State Tabbed Volleyball Preseason Favorite
AUGUSTA, GA -- The Armstrong Atlantic State volleyball squad has
been voted the preseason favorite in a poll of the league’s
head coaches released today. The Pirates received five of a
possible seven first-place votes to finish with 46, ahead of PBC
newcomer Flagler College, who was second with 39. Francis Marion
was third in the voting while another new PBC member, the
University of Montevallo, was fourth. Coaches were not allowed to
rank their own teams.
Armstrong Atlantic State is coming off a historic 2008 season
that saw them win the PBC regular season and tournament
Championships. The Pirates went on to claim the NCAA Southeast
Regional title and became the first PBC team ever to reach the NCAA
Elite Eight. For 2009, AASU returns five of seven starters
including PBC Tournament Most Valuable Player Torrie Bevolo and
All-Region libero Casey Howett. Overall, 10 of the 12 letterwinners
from last season’s 28-7 team will return for 2009.
Flagler begins their first season of Peach Belt competition
after playing as a Division II independent. The Saints were 20-16
last season and return five of six starters. Leading the returning
starters will be senior outside hitter Justine Burkhardt, who
became Flagler’s career leader in kills last year and has
been named the Independent Collegiate Athletic Association’s
Player of the Year twice. Also returning is junior middle blocker
Meg Weathersby who was named All-IACC in 2008.
Francis Marion finished in a tie for second in the PBC standings
in 2008, reached the final of the PBC Tournament and advanced to
the NCAA Regional. To reach or surpass those achievements in 2009,
the Patriots will have to make up for the loss of All-Conference
players Jessica Lombardi and Jenna Kaiser. However, the young
Patriots do return front-line powers Ashlyn Underhill, Amanda
Mitchell and Ashlee Crook, all of whom had over 200 kills last
season as freshmen.
With the addition of Flagler and Montevallo to the conference, PBC volleyball will undergo a facelift as the two are the first new teams to join since 1998. The PBC has not had eight volleyball teams since 2004. The 2009 volleyball season begins on Aug. 28 with conference play beginning Sept. 16 and continue on to the PBC Tournament which will be held Nov. 13-15 at the USC Aiken Convocation Center in Aiken, S.C.
| Rank | Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | Total |
| 1. | Armstrong Atlantic State | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 |
| 2. | Flagler | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 |
| 3. | Francis Marion | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| 4. | Montevallo | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 33 |
| 5. | Lander | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| 6. | USC Aiken | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 7. | Augusta State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
| 8. | UNC Pembroke | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 10 |