NEW ORLEANS – The Coastal Carolina women's volleyball team was selected to finish third in the Sun Belt Conference East Division behind James Madison and App State in the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Coaches Poll for volleyball, the league office announced on Tuesday.
 
The Dukes claimed the top spot in the East Division with 94 points overall and garnered 13 first-place votes, while Appalachian State tallied 70 points and one lone vote for the top spot. The Chanticleers tallied 69 total points with Georgia Southern (55), ODU (54), Marshall (29), and Georgia State (21) rounding out the East Division preseason poll.
 
In the West Division, South Alabama was selected to finish ahead of Texas State (77), Troy (71), Southern Miss (51), Louisiana (47), Arkansas State (37), and ULM (16). The Jaguars received 10 first-place votes, while the Trojans tallied three votes and the Red Wolves garnered a single vote for the West's top spot.
 
CCU will welcome back five veterans from last season's squad including Agata Lesiak, Jasmine Rivest, and Lauren Malone. Lesiak, a Warsaw, Poland native, appeared in 29 matches for 76 sets played. The junior opposite hitter totaled 141 kills for 178.0 points for the Chants. Rivest, a Montreal, Quebec, Canada native, will return to Conway after spending the summer working with the Canadian NextGen Training Team. The 5-11 outside hitter saw action in 61 sets over 24 matches played and finishing with 132 kills for 146.5 points overall last year for the Chants. Malone, a Red Rock, Texas native, appeared in 24 matches with 53 total sets played as an outside hitter. Also, returning for Coastal Carolina are Bailee Earnhardt and Valentina Varani.
 
2023 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Volleyball Awards
 
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year:
Miëtte Veldman, James Madison (OH, 5-10, Sr., Daleville, Va.)
 
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:
Sophie Davis, James Madison (MB, 6-1, Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
 
Preseason Setter of the Year:
Kailey Keeble, South Alabama (S, 5-8, Sr., Maryville, Tenn.)
 
Preseason Libero of the Year:
Megan Harris, Southern Miss (L, 5-4, Jr., Nesbit, Miss.)
 
Preseason All-Sun Belt
McCall Denny, App State (OH, 5-9, Sr., High Point, N.C.)
Maya Winterhoff, App State (MB, 6-2, So., Charlottesville, Va.)
Sophie Davis, James Madison (MB, 6-1, Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Caroline Dozier, James Madison (S, 6-0, Sr., Raleigh, N.C.)
Miëtte Veldman, James Madison (OH, 5-10, Sr., Daleville, Va.)
Myah Conway, Old Dominion (RS, 6-3, Jr., Orwigsburg, Pa.)
Niki Capizzi, South Alabama (MB, 6-3, Sr., Huntington Beach, Calif.)
Kailey Keeble, South Alabama (S, 5-8, Sr., Maryville, Tenn.)
Hannah Maddux, South Alabama (OH, 6-2, Sr., San Antonio, Texas)
Cara Atkinson, Southern Miss (MB, 6-2, Jr., Gardendale, Ala.)
Mia Wesley, Southern Miss (OH, 5-11, Jr., Orem, Utah)
Tori Hester, Troy (OH, 5-9, Jr., Salisbury, N.C.)
 
2023 Sun Belt Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll
 
East Division
1. James Madison – 94 (13)
2. App State – 70 (1)
3. Coastal Carolina – 69
4. Georgia Southern – 55
5. Old Dominion – 54
6. Marshall – 29
7. Georgia State - 21
 
West Division
1. South Alabama - 93 (10)
2. Texas State - 77 (3)
3. Troy - 71
4. Southern Miss - 51
5. Louisiana - 47
6. Arkansas State - 37 (1)
7. ULM – 16
 
For complete coverage of CCU women's volleyball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalVball (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.