SoCon Announces Volleyball Preseason Predictions
 
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) volleyball team was picked to finish sixth in the Southern Conference (SoCon) Preseason Poll, released Wednesday.
 
The defending 2021 SoCon Regular Season champions totaled 30 points from the preseason coaches poll.
 
Senior setter Gabriela McHugh was voted to the Preseason All-Conference team as one of the nine members.
 
Wofford was tabbed as the favorite to win the 2022 SoCon title in preseason voting by the league's nine head coaches. The Terriers received 57 points and three first-place votes, while Samford followed immediately behind with 56 points and three first-place votes. ETSU earned the third place spot with 45 points and two first-place votes, while Mercer received 40 points and one first-place vote. Western Carolina rounded out the top five teams with 32 points.
 
Gabriela McHugh

• Averaged 10.41 sets per game
• Ranked 24th in the nation in total assists (1,207)
• Ranked 42nd in the nation in assists per set (10.41)
• Led the conference in total assists and assists per set
• 2021 SoCon All-Conference first team
• SoCon Setter of the Week four times
• SoCon Setter of the Month (September)
• Participated in U.S. Women's Team Open

Last season, the Spartans led the conference in 10 categories: blocks per set (2.24), digs per set (17.76), hitting percentage (.216), match W-L percentage (.767), opponent hitting percentage (.161), team assists (1,381), team digs (2,060), team kills (1,524), team total attacks (4,378), team total blocks (259.5). Seventh year head coach and 2021 SoCon Coach of the Year led the team to a 23-7 record overall and 12-4 in the league.
 
UNCG hosts Anderson (S.C.) in its lone exhibition at home in Fleming Gym on Friday, August 19 with a start time of 6:00 p.m. The Spartans follow that with the Spartan-Aggie Tournament, hosting Bethune-Cookman on Friday, August 26 and Coppin State and NC A&T on Saturday, August 27.
 
2022 SoCon Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll

1. Wofford (3)	57
2. Samford (3)	56
3. ETSU (2)	45
4. Mercer (1)	40
5. Western Carolina	32
6. UNCG	30
7. The Citadel	29
8. Furman	22
9. Chattanooga	13

() first-place votes

2022 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team
Ali Ruffin, The Citadel, So., OH
Annie Karle, Mercer, Gr., OH
Gabriela McHugh, UNCG, Sr., S
Lauren Deaton, Samford, Gr., OH
Kenya McQuirter, Samford, R-Jr., OH
Destinee Dorsey, Western Carolina, Jr., LIB
Merry Gebel, Western Carolina, Gr., OH
Sarah Barham, Wofford, Jr., MB
Emily Hodsdon, Wofford, Jr., S