ALBANY – The College of Saint Rose women’s volleyball team has been picked to finish 11th according to the Northeast-10 Conference preseason poll, which was conducted by a vote from the league’s 16 head coaches.
New Haven, which was one of five teams from the NE-10 that garnered NCAA Tournament bids a year ago, was predicted to win the regular-season crown after receiving 224 points and 14 first-place votes. The Chargers finished with a perfect 15-0 conference record a year ago. Adelphi received a first-place vote and 202 points as the second pick in the poll following a 27-10 overall record and a 14-1 league slate in 2009. Bentley received the other first-place vote and 192 points as the third pick in the poll following an 18-13 overall mark and an 11-4 record in league play.
Additionally, UMass Lowell and American International were among the top-five vote getters. The River Hawks, who won their first ever NE-10 Championship last year, received 180 points. Meanwhile, the Yellow Jackets earned 154 points following a 23-10 campaign in 2009.
The Golden Knights return four starters and nine letterwinners from last year’s squad that recorded a 15-14 overall record. Saint Rose missed the postseason for only the second time in eight years following a 5-10 NE-10 mark and an 11th place finish in the final regular-season standings. The Golden Knights started the year 8-0 for the first time in their 19-year NCAA era, but went 2-10 over a 12-match stretch during the middle of the season to dash any hopes of a return trip to the postseason.
Junior outside hitter
Sarah Kahrs and junior setter
Theresa Staulo are both serving as team captains in 2010 along with senior outside hitter
Rachel Baxter. Kahrs led Saint Rose with 274 kills and finished seventh in the league in aces (0.48) last season. Staulo, who was named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine District I Academic All-America® Third Team, was 10th in the conference with 8.04 assists per-game to go along with 106 digs and 66 kills. Baxter has contributed 338 kills and 394 digs throughout her career on Western Avenue.
Saint Rose opens the 2010 campaign on Friday, September 3 versus C.W. Post at the Kutztown Classic. The first home match is scheduled for Tuesday, September 7 when the Golden Knights host Nyack. The 2010 league-opener is set for Wednesday, September 22 when Saint Rose welcomes Assumption for a 7:00 pm match at the Daniel P. Nolan Gymnasium.
2010 Women's Volleyball NE-10 Preseason Poll