MACON, Ga. – As the 2011 volleyball season approaches, the Atlantic Sun Conference released its preseason coaches' poll and preseason awards today with USC Upstate in the 10^th spot as announced by the conference office.   

After winning back-to-back regular season and tournament titles, Lipscomb took top honors in the preseason rankings, tallying three first-place votes and 85 points. The Lady Bisons were also predicted to be the 2011 A-Sun Tournament Champions, earning four votes.

Kennesaw State was tabbed to finish second in regular-season play with 79 points and two first-place votes. Belmont took third, while Florida Gulf Coast and ETSU earned fourth and fifth, respectively. All of the top five collected first-place votes with FGCU (72 points) receiving two votes, while Belmont (77) and ETSU (68) garnered one vote each.

Jacksonville (49) claimed sixth in the coaches' poll, while Mercer (45) followed in seventh. North Florida (44), Stetson (17) and Upstate (14) rounded out the 2011 preseason rankings.

Belmont's Maggie Johnson was chosen as the A-Sun Preseason Player of the Year, while FGCU's Holly Youngquist was named the league's Preseason Libero of the Year.

The Spartans open the 2011 volleyball season on the road at the Marriott Cavalier Classic in Charlottesville, Va., facing Western Carolina Aug. 26 at 4:30 p.m. Follow the Spartans this season on Facebook and Twitter.

Preseason Player of the Year: Maggie Johnson, Belmont

Preseason Libero of the Year: Holly Youngquist, FGCU

Preseason All-Atlantic Sun Team^

 Pos.      Name                                School                               Cl.          

*OH       Paige Pridgeon                North Florida                      Jr.

OH          Maggie Johnson              Belmont                             Sr.

OH          Megan Devine                 ETSU                                  So.

OH          Jelena Simic                     FGCU                                 Sr.

MB          Katie Rose                       Lipscomb                           Sr.

OH          Alyssa Lang                     Kennesaw State               Sr.

L             Holly Youngquist              FGCU                                 Sr.

L             Charlotte Harris               Mercer                               Sr.

*Unanimous Choice

^A tie in voting resulted in an eight-person all-conference team

2011 A-Sun Preseason Volleyball Coaches' Poll

Pl.           Team (First-Place Votes)               Points

1.            Lipscomb (3)                                 85

2.            Kennesaw State (2)                      79

3.            Belmont (1)                                    77

4.            FGCU (2)                                        72

5.            ETSU (1)                                         68

6.            Jacksonville                                    49

7.            Mercer                                            45

8.            North Florida                                  44

9.            Stetson                                          17

10.          USC Upstate                                  14

Predicted 2011 Tournament Champions: Lipscomb (four votes)