TicketsThe American Athletic Conference preseason poll and awards were announced on Monday with the University of Cincinnati volleyball team receiving prestigious recognition. The team was selected to finish second out of the five teams in the American Athletic Conference (East Division), while Armania Heckenmueller, Maria Mallon and Adria Oliver were all selected to this year's AAC Preseason team.
The conference coaches within the east division gave UC 37 points out of a possible 46 and one first place vote. UCF was awarded the number one spot receiving a perfect 46 out of 46 points, and all ten of the first place votes. Following the Bearcats, Temple was voted to finish third with 26 points.
Mallon was unanimously selected to the Preseason All-Conference team for her second time, following her 2019 selection. Mallon was second in points in 2019 with 4.31 per set and finished with 3.02 digs, 27 blocks and 26 assists. She also added 45 aces to the team's total, second-most on the team.
Heckenmueller and Oliver both earned their spots on the Preseason All-Conference team for the first time in their careers. Heckenmueller led the nation in assists per set in 2019 with 12.12 per set, totaling 1,515. She also added 256 digs, 24 aces, 27 blocks and 27 kills. Heckenmueller played in all 125 of the teams sets. Oliver played in 122 of the team's 125 sets and was second on the team with .26 blocks per set. She finished with the best hitting percentage at .351 while her ranking was still third in kills per set with 2.22.
A total of thirteen student-athletes were names to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Cincinnati and SMU led in most selections with three each, UCF and Tulane all had two. UCF's McKenna Melville was named Preseason Player of the Year.
The 2021 season is set to begin on the road against Illinois State in Normal, Il., at 4 p.m. Friday, January 29.
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2020 East Division Volleyball Preseason Poll
1. UCF (46)
2. Cincinnati (37)
3. Temple (26)
4. Eastern Carolina (16)
4. USF (16)
2020 West Division Volleyball Preseason Poll
1. SMU (52)
2. Tulane (45)
3. Houston (41)
4. Wichita State (26)
5. Tulsa (21)
6. Memphis (11)
Preseason Player of the Year
McKenna Melville, Jr., OH, UCF*
Preseason All-Conference Team
McKenna Melville, Jr., OH, UCF*
Anne-Marie Watson, Sr., RS, UCF
Armania Heckenmueller, Jr., S, Cincinnati
Maria Mallon, Jr., OH, Cincinnati*
Adria Oliver, Jr., MB, Cincinnati
Bri Wood, Sr., RS, East Carolina
Rachel Tullos, So., MB, Houston
Lily Heim, Jr., S, SMU*
Hannah Jacobs, Jr., OH, SMU
Rachel Woulfe, Jr., OH, SMU*
Peyton Boyd, Jr., RS, Temple
Kayla Dinkins, Jr., MH, Tulane
Lexie Douglas, Sr., OH, Tulane*
*denotes unanimous selection