Lehigh University Athletics
Mountain Hawks picked fourth in preseason poll
8/26/2010 7:31:00 PM | Volleyball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh volleyball team was pegged to finish fourth in the Patriot League, as announced by the league in its annual preseason poll on Thursday. The Mountain Hawks garnered 62 votes in the poll, which was voted on by the league's coaches and sports information directors.
Defending league champion Army was selected as the preseason favorite with 92 points and nine first-place votes. American placed second, just two points shy of Army with seven first-place votes, while Colgate was voted third. Bucknell was tabbed fifth in the poll, while Lafayette, Navy and Holy Cross rounded out spots six through eight, respectively.
Lehigh posted a 14-16 record in 2009, including a 7-7 mark in league play. With four wins in the last six regular season games, the Brown and White clinched the No. 4 seed in the Patriot League tournament, returning to postseason play for the first time since 2003. This season, fourth-year head coach Jenny Maurer welcomes back five starters (plus a libero) and eight letterwinners, including first-team All-Patriot League selection Angelika Kopacz. The Rutherford, N.J. native led the squad with 342 kills and notched 42 aces in 2009.
The Mountain Hawks will open the 2010 season on Friday, August 27 in Pittsburgh, Pa. with a doubleheader against Duquesne and St. Francis (Pa.) in the Courtyard by Marriott Invitational. The following day, Lehigh will wrap up the tournament against Robert Morris and Radford. After seven straight road contests to open the season, the Brown and White will open the home portion of their schedule on September 7 against Villanova at Leeman-Turner Arena.
