FOREST, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Volleyball Team will open the 2014 season on Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. With the start of the year, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference has released the volleyball coaches’ preseason poll. The Wasps, under the direction of first-year Head Coach Devyn Bayes, find themselves picked to finish seventh in the regular season by the league’s 12 head coaches.

Emory & Henry returns four starters and 12 letterwinners from last season’s squad, highlighted by reigning ODAC Rookie of the Year, outside hitter Tristen Pennington (Kingsport, Tenn.) and senior setter Maleah Neely (Hillsville, Va.). Other returning starters for the Wasps are sophomore outside hitter Hannah Doss (Meadowview, Va.) and sophomore middle Kennady Thomason (Chattanooga, Tenn.).

Senior middle Anika Constantinescu (Surrey, British Columbia, CANADA), junior defensive specialist Madison DeBord (Williamsburg, Va.) and sophomore libero Emily Hinshaw (Boone, N.C.) all saw extensive playing time in 2013 and will be called upon to be major contributors this season as well.

Also returning this season is senior defensive specialist Kelsey Marrs (Wytheville, Va.), junior right side Natasha Moore (Fries, Va.), sophomore setter Maggie Boggess (Peterstown, W.Va.), sophomore defensive specialist Taylor Locke (Buchanan, Va.) and sophomore defensive specialist Breanna Wallen (Rye Cove, Va.).

“The potential of the team as a whole this year is very exciting as it is higher than even the athletes believed at the beginning of preseason this year,” said Bayes. “I was very fortunate to inherit such a solid group of sophomores who will be the present and future of this team, as well as three great leaders on and off the court in our seniors.”

Joining the Wasps for this season are three freshmen and one sophomore transfer. Sophomore outside hitter Allie Evans (Frisco, Texas) comes to E&H after spending her freshman year at NCAA Division II Erskine College in South Carolina. Also new to the team are defensive specialist Rachel Peters (Gate City, Va.), setter Sarah Scott (Collinsville, Va.) and middle Ali Singleton (Mount Jackson, Va.).

“Allie will make the most immediate impact on the court for us this year as a newcomer to the conference,” Bayes continued. “Finally, our three freshmen all have very different skill sets, and are already contributing by pushing our returners in practice to be better. The energy about the season is obvious we cannot wait to see things come together in our first match this Friday.”

Perennial powerhouse Washington and Lee University was projected to win the league for a third-straight year, earning eight first-place votes while Randolph-Macon College was voted second (two FPV). Lynchburg College was picked third while Virginia Wesleyan College (one FPV) and Bridgewater College (one FPV) round out the top five.

Emory & Henry will begin the 2014 season on the road as it travels to face Ferrum College on Friday at 7:00 p.m. The Wasps will continue their trip on Saturday and Sunday when they play four matches at the 20th Annual Cougar Classic on the campus of Averett University.

---E&H---

2014 ODAC VOLLEYBALL
PRESEASON POLL

(#) Denotes first-place votes