NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Dayton has been voted the preseason volleyball favorite in the 2022 Atlantic 10 Conference volleyball poll, which was announced Friday ahead of the start of the season on August 26.
The Flyers posted a perfect conference regular season record in 2021 at 16-0 and won their fourth straight Atlantic 10 Championship, defeating Fordham in the title match. Led by 2021 A-10 Setter of the Year, Livie Sandt, and All-Conference selections outside hitter/libero Lexie Almodovar and middle blocker Amelia Moore, Dayton earned eight first-place votes in the poll and tallied 97 points. The Flyers, who were 26-6 overall last year, are led by six-time A-10 Coach of the Year Tim Horsmon and are looking for their 12
th Atlantic 10 title in the last 14 years.
VCU finished second in the preseason poll with 85 points, earning two first-place votes. The Rams advanced to the semifinals of the 2021 A-10 Championship. The last team to win an A-10- title other than Dayton, VCU finished last season with a record of 13-3 in league play and 18-12 overall. The Rams return All-Conference First Team stalwarts Jasmine Knight, a middle blocker, and outside/right side hitter Jovana Vukcevic.
New Atlantic 10 member Loyola Chicago finished third in the voting with 81 points. The Ramblers were 22-10 overall last year and 14-4 in league play, earning the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title. Loyola is led by All-Conference selection Addie Barnes 2021 and head coach Amanda Berkley, who earned Coach of the Year honors in 2021.
Saint Louis was voted fourth in the preseason poll, collecting 67 points. The Billikens are coming off an the 2021 campaign where they were 11-5 in the A-10 and 18-12 overall. They return A-10 Rookie of the Year Kate Aupperle, a setter, and All-Conference selection, middle blocker Jillian Mattingly. Davidson was voted fifth in the poll with 54 points following a 10-6 league record and a 14-13 overall mark last season. The Wildcats welcome Atlantic 10 Co-Libero of the Year Bella Brady back this season.
Duquesne was sixth in the poll with 50 points, followed closely by Fordham in seventh with 49 points. Rhode Island recorded 34 points for eighth place. George Washington (17) and George Mason (16) rounded out the poll, which was voted on by the league’s 10 head volleyball coaches.
The 2022 campaign begins Friday, Aug. 26 with all 10 teams competing in season-opening tournaments. The 2022 Atlantic 10 Volleyball Championship will be played at Saint Louis’ Chaifetz Pavilion, Nov. 18-20.
2022 Atlantic 10 Volleyball Preseason Poll
(number in parenthesis indicates first-place votes)
| Dayton (8) |
97 |
| VCU (2) |
85 |
| Loyola Chicago |
81 |
| Saint Louis |
67 |
| Davidson |
54 |
| Duquesne |
50 |
| Fordham |
49 |
| Rhode Island |
34 |
| George Washington |
17 |
| George Mason |
16 |