BLOOMFIELD AND GEORGIAN COURT TOP CACC VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON POLLS

August 14, 2007

NEW HAVEN, CT - Bloomfield College is predicted to win the 2007 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) North Division Volleyball Championship, while Georgian Court University tops the South Division poll in balloting released today. Voting was conducted by the conference's 13 head coaches. The 2007 season marks the first time the CACC will use a divisional format for volleyball.

Bloomfield was a unanimous choice to win the North Division with 13 first-place votes and 78 overall points. Georgian Court collected nine first-place nods and 87 points to top the South Division poll. The North Division poll was rounded out by Post University (56), Dominican College (48), Nyack College (44), Caldwell College (24) and Felician College (23).

Philadelphia University was selected second in the South Division poll with four first-place votes and 81 overall points. Georgian Court and Philadelphia tied atop the CACC standings last year with 15-1 records. Goldey-Beacom College finished third (52) and was followed by Wilmington College (48), Holy Family University (43), USP (39) and Chestnut Hill College (14). Chestnut Hill will be competing in the CACC for the first time and will play a full conference schedule, but will not be eligible to play in the conference tournament. The Griffins were previously a member of NCAA Division III.

Bloomfield compiled a 15-9 overall mark in 2006 and a 13-3 record in conference play. The Deacons return three All-Conference players in junior outside hitter Ursula Pereira, junior middle hitter Celeste Lindsey and junior setter Sonia Perez. Pereira was the 2006 CACC Rookie of the Year after leading the CACC in attack percentage (.315) and kills per-game (5.04). Perez stood first in the conference with an average of 12.1 assists per-game, while Lindsey ranked second in attack percentage (.307) and seventh in blocks per-game (0.86).

Georgian Court went 21-11 last year and 15-1 in conference action en route to winning the CACC Tournament Championship with a 3-0 win over Philadelphia. The Lions welcome back 2006 CACC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP, Ann Casado. Casado, a junior outside hitter, ranked third in the conference in kills per-game (4.59) last year and led GCU with 14 kills, 16 assists and 11 digs in the Tournament Championship match.

Like Bloomfield, Philadelphia will be returning three All-Conference players in senior outside hitter Emily Krauss, junior middle hitter Molly Malone and sophomore outside hitter Celena Rendon. Malone led the CACC with 1.11 blocks per-game and was third with a .288 attack percentage, while Krauss stood sixth with 3.89 kills per-game The Rams will be led by 2006 CACC Coach of the Year, Mark Magarity.

The complete 2007 CACC Volleyball preseason poll is below.

2007 CACC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll

North Division

School 2006 Records Points

1. Bloomfield (13) 15-9/13-3 CACC -78

2. Post 12-17/8-8 - 56

3. Dominican 5-19/5-11 - 48

4. Nyack 6-21/6-10 - 44

5. Caldwell 0-17/0-16 - 24

6. Felician 2-17/2-14 - 23

()-first place votes

South Division

School 2006 Records Points

1. Georgian Court (9) 21-11/15-1 CACC - 87

2. Philadelphia (4) 25-4/15-1 - 81

3. Goldey-Beacom 14-13/12-4 - 52

4. Wilmington 8-24/8-8 - 48

5. Holy Family 12-22/7-9 - 43

6. USP 8-17/5-11 - 39

7. Chestnut Hill 8-16/5-5* - 14

()-first place votes

* - Record as a DIII member of the NEAC