Dillard picked to win GCAC volleyball title

Philander Smith’s Collier Named Preseason Player of the Year

Lady Bleu Devils won 2021 regular season title, while Collier helped lead Lady Panthers to conference tournament final

NEW ORLEANS – After winning the regular season title last year, the Dillard Lady Bleu Devils have been tipped to claim the 2022 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) volleyball title, while Philander Smith College senior Lela Collier was named the league’s preseason player of the year.

Dillard earned four first-place votes in the poll, the most of any team in the league. They were followed by last year’s tournament finalists in the Lady Panthers of Philander Smith, who head into the new year under first-year head coach Kayla Black.

Fisk, newcomer Wiley, Tougaloo, Rust and Oakwood round out the rest of the poll.

The preseason player of the year, Collier was a 2021 All-GCAC first-team selection, while also being named the league’s setter of the year. Collier is joined on the team by her teammate in Vladanna Radovic, joining Dillard as the only two teams with multiple selections.

Dillard’s entrants include Desire Neal and Taylor Hurst. Ryann Reid of Fisk, Marissa Neal of Wiley and Bailey Jones of Tougaloo round out the rest of the preseason team.

2022 GCAC Volleyball Preseason Poll

1. Dillard
2. Philander Smith
3. Fisk
4. Wiley
5. Tougaloo
6. Rust
7. Oakwood

2022 All-GCAC Volleyball Preseason Team

Lela Collier, Philander Smith*

Ryann Reid, Fisk

Desire Neal, Dillard

Codi Fillmore, Dillard

Marissa Neal, Wiley

Vladanna Radovic, Philander Smith

Taylor Hurst, Dillard^

Bailey Jones, Tougaloo^

*-Preseason Player of the Year

^-tied for final spot