FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Devils Picked Fifth in CACC Pre-Season Poll

New Haven, Conn. (8-18-09) - The University of the Sciences women's volleyball team has been picked to finish fifth in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Southern Division in the conference's pre-season volleyball poll which was released today. The league's 14 head coaches conducted the voting.

In this year's poll, Caldwell College and Georgian Court University were selected to win their respective divisions. Caldwell garnered ten first place votes to top the North Division poll, while three-time defending CACC champion Georgian Court was voted first in the South after picking up nine first place nods. In the South, Holy Family University finished second with 75 points and one first-place nod. Philadelphia University was third with three first-place votes and 74 points, while Wilmington University was voted first on one ballot and accumulated 56 points. The division is rounded out by the USP (45), Goldey-Beacom College (33) and Chestnut Hill College (17). Bloomfield College earned four first place votes and finished second in the North with 83 points. The Deacons were followed by Post University (60 points), Dominican College (45), conference newcomer Concordia College (42), Nyack College (41) and Felician College (27).

The Devils return four starters from last year's squad, led by junior middle hitter Christine Puschak (Conestoga Valley HS/Leola, Pa.). Puschak led USP last season in kills (247), kills/set (2.35), service aces (48) and hitting percentage (.246) and was second on the team in total blocks. Christine finished the 2008 season ranking ninth in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) in hitting percentage and eighth in the league in kills.

The Devils have one lone outside hitter returning in senior Kirsten Lechner (Depaul Catholic HS/Wayne, N.J.). Lechner was third on the team in kills (179) and aces (28) and had the second highest dig total amongst all the USP players with 319. Juniors Cady Rich (Shelton HS/Shelton, Conn.) and Sarah Hickman (Wilmington Christian School/Newark, Del.) also return for their third season of competition. Rich, a middle blocker, led the team in all blocking categories in 2008 and had the fourth highest kill total on the team with 176. Hickman averaged 7.53 assists per set from the setter position.

In 2008, the USP women’s volleyball team finished in fifth place in the CACC southern division, recording a 9-9 conference mark and an 11-18 overall record under first-year head coach Jessa D'Achille. The Devils failed to qualify for the conference playoffs for only the second time since become an active NCAA Division II member in 2003.

This year's complete poll is below:

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