Sun Belt releases volleyball preseason poll, all-conference teams

Texas State paced all conference programs with three Preseason All-Sun Belt selections, while Coastal Carolina, UTA and Troy also boasted multiple honorees.

Coastal Carolina was picked to win its third-straight Sun Belt East Division title in the Preseason Coaches Poll, while capturing 11-of-12 first-place votes. Texas State topped the Sun Belt West Division ledger with 11-of-12 first-place nods. The Bobcats are looking for their fifth-straight division crown and fourth-straight Sun Belt Conference tournament title in 2021.

Coastal Carolina was the Sun Belt regular-season champion in 2020, while Texas State claimed its third-straight tournament title in a five-set thriller (20-25, 25-18, 23-25, 25-19, 15-6) over the Chanticleers.

2021 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Preseason Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Janell Fitzgerald, Texas State (Jr., OH – Mansfield, Texas)

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Alli Wells, UTA (So., L – Waxahachie, Texas)

Preseason Setter of the Year
Emily DeWalt, Texas State (Jr., S – Helotes, Texas)

Preseason Libero of the Year
Alli Wells, UTA (So., L – Waxahachie, Texas)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
OH – Ani Bozdeva, Coastal Carolina (Super Sr. – Razlog, Bulgaria)
OH – Laura Jansen, Little Rock (Sr. – Doetinchem, Netherlands)
OH – Brooke Townsend, UTA (Jr. – Bastrop, Texas)
OH – Janell Fitzgerald, Texas State (Jr. – Mansfield, Texas)
OH – Cheyenne Hayes, Troy (Sr. – Newnan, Ga.)
MB – Tyeranee Scott, Texas State (Sr. – Houston, Texas)
RS/MB – Kendahl Davenport, Arkansas State (RS So. – Conway, Ark.)
RS/MB – Mya Wilson, Georgia Southern (Jr. – Orlando, Fla.)
S – Brigitta Petrenko, Coastal Carolina (Jr. – Eger, Hungary)
S – Emily DeWalt, Texas State (Jr. – Helotes, Texas)
S – Amara Anderson, Troy (Jr. – Alpharetta, Ga.)
L – Alli Wells, UTA (So. – Waxahachie, Texas)

2021 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
East Division
1. Coastal Carolina (11) – 71
2. Troy (1) – 59
3. Georgia Southern – 36
4. App State – 32
5. South Alabama – 28
6. Georgia State – 26

West Division
1. Texas State (11) – 69
2. UTA – 55
3. Arkansas State (1) – 48
4. Louisiana – 35
5. Little Rock – 27
6. ULM – 18

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