MANSFIELD, Mass. – The Southern New Hampshire University women's volleyball team finished 7th in the NE10 Preseason Coaches' Poll voting Friday.
Reigning NE10 Champ American International College took the top spot with 11 first-place votes and 143 points, while The University of New Haven and Bentley University each received a first-place vote. New Haven was slotted second with 128 points, and Bentley third with 118. Saint Anselm College (112) is followed by Adelphi University (95) and Southern Connecticut State University (94).
The Penmen received 83 points, good for seventh, and ahead of Franklin Pierce University (66). Assumption University and Le Moyne College tied for ninth with 45 points. The College of Saint Rose (39), Pace University (34) and Saint Michael's College (12) round out the list.
Head coach
Dega da Gama will lead the Penmen for a sixth season, hoping to build off a 12-11 campaign that saw the team advanced to the Northeast-10 tournament for the first time since 2018. SNHU went 8-5 in league play, the best league mark since 2014.
Southern New Hampshire will return a key piece of the squad. Senior
Juliana Pacini (Sao Paulo, Brazil), an NE10 All-Conference Second Team selection in 2021, amassed 269 kills, 38 service aces, 246 digs and 22 blocks. Senior
Dai Thawnghmung (Lowell, Mass.) was second on the team in kills (230) last season, and returns with graduate student
Sara Montefameglio (Turin, Italy), who recorded 698 assists and had 36 service aces.
SNHU will open the season by playing host to a shared tournament with Saint Anselm College, entertaining three matches at the Stan Spirou Field House on Saturday, August 27 and three more on Sunday, August 28. The Penmen will take on Kutztown University (11 a.m.) and Roberts Wesleyan College (3:30 p.m.) on the first day, followed by D'Youville College (10:00 a.m.) and Saint Michael's College (3:30 p.m.) on day two. Southern New Hampshire hits the road for the first time for matches in St. Augustine, Fla. September 2-3.
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2022 NE10 Preseason Women's Volleyball Coaches' Poll
1) American International - 143 (11)
2) New Haven - 128 (1)
3) Bentley - 118 (1)
4) Saint Anselm - 112
5) Adelphi - 95
6) So. Connecticut - 94
7) So. New Hampshire - 83
8) Franklin Pierce - 66
9) Assumption - 45
9) Le Moyne - 45
11) Saint Rose - 39
12) Pace - 34
13) Saint Michael's - 12
