DENTON, Texas (8/16/07) If the preseason poll is any indication, the race for the Sun Belt’s Western Division volleyball crown should once again be a slugfest, as the conference’s coaches tabbed Denver over the Mean Green by just a single point.
Despite being the defending Western Division champions, North Texas garnered 82 points in the poll and five first place votes, just shy of the Pioneers’ 83 points and six first place votes. North Texas edged the Pioneers for the division crown in the season finale in 2006.
The Mean Green is coming off its best season in a decade, which included 23 wins and a first-round win in the Sun Belt Tournament. A pair of North Texas’ returnees led the conference in digs and service aces in 2006, but the Mean Green placed no one on the Preseason All-Conference squad.
The Mean Green opens the season on Aug. 24 at the Best Western Shocker Classic in Wichita, Kan. NT hosts the Mean Green Classic from Aug. 31 through Sept. 1 at the North Texas Volleyball Center.
2007 Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll
As voted on by the league's coaches.
Eastern Division Points
1. Middle Tennessee (9) 74
2. Florida International (3) 64
3. Western Kentucky (1) 55
4. Florida Atlantic 39
5. Troy 22
6. South Alabama 19
Western Division Points
1. Denver (6) 83
2. North Texas (5) 82
3. Arkansas State (1) 60
4. New Orleans (1) 55
5. UALR 40
6. Louisiana-Lafayette 25
7. Louisiana-Monroe 19
2007 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
As voted on by the league's coaches.
Preseason Player of the Year: Yarimar Rosa, Florida International
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Alicia Lemau'u, Middle Tennessee
Kim Muller (Denver, Sr., MB)
Keila Oliveira (Florida International, Sr., S)
Yarimar Rosa (Florida International, So., OH)
Ashley Adams (Middle Tennessee, Jr., OPP/S)
Ashley Asberry (Middle Tennessee, Jr., MB)
Quanshell Scott (Middle Tennessee, Sr., MB/OH)
Megan Argabright (Western Kentucky, Jr., MH)
Julia Noe (Western Kentucky, Jr., S)
