BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Mountain East Conference league offices released their annual preseason poll for volleyball on Friday afternoon, with West Virginia State picked to finish second in the South Division and garnering three first-place votes. The poll is voted on by the league's head coaches.

The Yellow Jackets were selected to win the South Division in each of the last three preseason polls. While State hosted the tournament and made it to the championship game in the first two years, the Yellow Jackets were upset in straight sets by West Liberty in the quarterfinals of last year's tournament, held at the University of Charleston.

Hillary Hurley was announced as West Virginia State's new head volleyball coach in January. Hurley spent a year as the assistant coach at Charleston under Tyler Kanelos after spending ten years as a professional volleyball player.

First team All-MEC and All-Atlantic Region middle blocker Diamond'Nique Young returns for her senior season after spending her first two years at Division I CSU-Pueblo. She finished last season ranked 10th in the nation and first in the MEC in hitting percentage, hitting at a .398. Kiersten Eggleton returns for her senior season after also being named to the First Team All-MEC. Eggleton led the team in service aces and ranked second on the team in assists and kills. 

All-MEC Honorable Mention senior Alex Darby returns to the squad after leading the team in digs and providing 199 kills to help bolster the offense. All-MEC Honorable Mention Ashlynne Davis enters her junior season as the back liner for the Jackets. Davis took over as Libero last year following Darby's move from the back line to a utility rotation and averaged a team leading 3.87 digs per set and holding an impressive .958 serve receive average. 

State and Charleston are the clear front-runners in the South Division with Charleston selected to win the division, gathering eight first place votes and 58 points, while the Jackets got three first place votes and 53 points. Davis and Elkins were picked to finish third, accruing 35 points. Glenville State, West Virginia Wesleyan and Concord round out the South Division poll.

Wheeling was once again selected to win the North Division, garnering every first place vote in the conference, except for their own. Fairmont State was voted to finish second in the North Division.

West Virginia State's journey in the 2023 campaign begins in Hawai'i against Simon Fraser University on Thursday, August 31. That match is scheduled for an 11:00 pm EDT first serve.

The complete 2023 MEC Volleyball Preseason Poll is as follows:

NORTH DIVISION
1. Wheeling (10) - 50
2. Fairmont State (1) - 37
3. West Liberty - 36
4. Notre Dame - 21
5. Frostburg State - 16

SOUTH DIVISION
1. Charleston (8) - 58
2. West Virginia St. (3) - 53
3. Davis & Elkins - 35
4. Glenville State - 32
5. West Va. Wesleyan - 27
6. Concord - 20
* Coaches not permitted to vote for own team