Florida A&M, Alabama A&M picked to repeat in volleyball
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Five-time defending Mid-Eastern Athletic
Conference (MEAC) champion, Florida
A&M was picked as the preseason favorite for
the second straight year to win the 2006 MEAC Volleyball title as voted
by the leagues' head volleyball coaches and sports information directors.
The Rattlers, who received 18 of the possible 20 first place votes, led all MEAC teams with 416 points. Florida A&M heads into the 2006 season vying for its sixth consecutive MEAC title and ninth overall. Senior outside hitter Maria Andonova and senior setter Diana Genkova return for the Rattlers along with two other starters from last year's team. Andonova, an All-MEAC first-team member, averaged 4.02 kills and 2.05 digs per game last season and was named the 2005 tournament's outstanding performer. Genkova led the league with 12.09 assists per game (1100) and earned a first-team All-MEAC selection in 2005. North Carolina A&T finished second behind the Rattlers in the preseason poll with two first place votes and 376 points. The Aggies posted a 22-18 overall record in 2005 and were runners-up to Florida A&M during the regular season and at last year's MEAC Volleyball Championship. The team's 9-1 conference mark was their best since 1998, when they went 8-0 in conference play. The Aggies are returning five starters this year, including senior outside hitter Arlene Mitchell. Mitchell, a three-time All-MEAC selection, recorded 400 kills (4.0 kpg) and posted 77 service aces and 36 blocks in 2005. Rounding out the top five in the preseason poll are Morgan State at third (6-4 MEAC, 14-21 overall), followed by Delaware State (6-4 MEAC, 12-19 overall) and Bethune-Cookman (5-5 MEAC, 12-21 overall). The 2006 MEAC Volleyball season concludes at the MEAC Volleyball Championship, held November 17-18, 2006 on the campus of Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia. 2006 MEAC Volleyball Preseason Poll
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Alabama A&M (East) and Grambling State (West) were picked to win their respective divisions while Mississippi Valley State outside hitter Ashley Robinson was voted preseason player of the year as the Southwestern Athletic Conference coaches and SIDs unveiled their volleyball picks for the upcoming season. Six-time defending champion Alabama A&M received 13 first-place votes en route to 89 total points to easily outscore Mississippi Valley State, who finished with a 26-4 record last season. MVSU had five first-place votes as they tallied 80 points. Jackson State (52), Alabama State (38) and Alcorn State (26) rounded out the Eastern Division. The Grambling State Lady Tigers, runners-up for the last three seasons, were selected to win the Western Division. The Lady Tigers garnered 12 first-place votes and 86 points overall . Prairie View A&M received six first-place votes en route to 76 points. Southern (54), Texas Southern (40) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (29) completed the Western Division voting. Robinson has been a conference standout for the past two seasons and finished the 2005 season with 335 kills (4th in the SWAC), a .290 hitting percentage (3rd), 50 service aces (5th), 212 digs and 53 total blocks. After a stellar campaign, she was named 2005 SWAC Player of the Year. In regards to preseason all-conference voting, Mississippi
Valley State had the most players selected with five.
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© 2006 Azeez Communications, Inc.