Radford University has been picked by the Big South Conference’s head coaches to finish fifth in the league’s annual preseason volleyball poll. The poll results were announced Wednesday.
The 2021 Big South spring volleyball season begins Wednesday, Feb. 3, and will be a 16-match double round-robin slate spanning nine weeks from Feb. 3 through April 2 with contests scheduled for consecutive days against the same opponent at the same location. This year’s regular-season champion will earn the Big South’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
For the fifth consecutive year, High Point University was chosen the preseason favorite. Campbell junior outside hitter Sarah Colla headlines the preseason all-conference team as the Preseason Player of the Year.
Under the direction of third-year head coach Ryan Meek, High Point received six first-place votes and 77 points to finish first in the 2021 spring season, just ahead of defending Big South Champion Winthrop, which was second with 74 points and received the three remaining first-place votes.
Campbell earned 65 points to finish third in the preseason poll. Presbyterian College was fourth in the voting with 48 points, ahead of the fifth-place Radford Highlanders with 45 points.
UNC Asheville captured the sixth spot with 32 points, ahead of seventh-place Charleston Southern (30 points). USC Upstate was picked to finish eighth with 23 points, followed by Gardner-Webb in ninth place (11). Hampton is not participating in volleyball in the upcoming spring season as the Lady Pirates’ fall sports remain suspended due to the ongoing impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
2021 Big South preseason spring volleyball poll:
- High Point 2. Winthrop 3. Campbell 4. Presbyterian College 5. Radford 6. UNC Asheville 7. Charleston Southern 8. USC Upstate 9. Gardner-Webb
— Big South athletics