Ladyjacks Picked To Finish Second In Preseason Polls
8/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 20, 2008
FRISCO, Texas - The Southland Conference has announced the preseason all-conference polls, with the Ladyjacks picked to finish in second place just behind Texas State.
The Ladyjacks picked up four first-place votes from the conference SIDs and three from the coaches while being slightly edged 114-113 in total voting points by the Bobcats in the coach's poll. Each team received 111 votes in the SID poll.
Debbie Humphreys crew has claimed the last four Southland Conference titles, including going 27-8 last season with a 15-1 mark in SLC play. Over the last four seasons the Ladyjacks have posted a 112-21 (.846) record - the best in the State of Texas - and have won at least 20 wins in seven of their last eight seasons.
The Ladyjacks advanced to the SLC Tournament title match last season before dropping a five-set heartbreaker to Texas State, but return several key players including senior outside hitters Lauren Railey and Shelly Swendig along with junior middle blocker Ashley Bailey.
SFA makes a bi-annual transition from the SLC West to the SLC East Division this season, switching places with last season's SLC co-champion Lamar. The Ladyjacks biggest challenge in the East should come from Central Arkansas, who has won 43 regular-season matches over the past two seasons despite not being eligible for postseason play until 2010.
The Ladyjacks begin the 2008 slate on Aug. 29 in Lexington, Ky., against Western Carolina in the first game of the Miami (OH) Tournament. The team will then travel to Oxford, Ohio, to finish out the tournament with a pair of matches on Aug. 30 against Miami (OH) and Saint Louis.
-SFA-
