Last year's Continental Volleyball Conference champion, Southern Virginia University, are the favorites in the 2020 CVC Coaches Preseason Poll. The Knights received 77 total points to lead the 10-team league while Kean University and Juniata College followed tied for 2nd place.
The Knights totaled 77 points in the poll, receiving 7 first-place votes, after winning the programs first ever CVC title last season. They went undefeated against conference foes last year, 11-0 in the regular season and two more wins in the postseason, finishing with a 23-4 overall record. They were ranked #10 in the final AVCA poll of the season last year and bring back four starters from last year's team including a pair of All-Americans (Paul Clark and Nahuel Recabarren . Senior outside hitter Paul Clark hit .319 last season while averaging 3.07 kills per set and finishing 4th in the league in aces with 39. Recabarren, a junior outside hitter, totaled 352 kills while hitting .315. Opposite Mark Stapley was 3rd on the team in kills last season with 179 and added 36 total blocks. The offense will be run through Kaipo Tagaloa, a senior that earned 3rd Team All-Conference honors last year after averaging 9.89 assists per set. Whiel the offense has a strong core of returners the defense will be revamped. Head Coach Tom Peterson will be looking for someone to step up to replace graduating CVC Libero of the Year, Danny Aina, and his top two middle blockers. Among the newcomers that are expected to contribute are Jeremy Brown and Curtis Stone.
Kean University tied for 2nd in the preseason poll with 67 points, nabbing 2 first-place votes. Head Coach Charlie Ginex brings back three starters from last year's team that finished #15 in the AVCA Final Poll. The Cougars will be a young team with just one senior and six freshmen on the roster which will allow for room to develop players. Jonathan Meyer returns at his libero positon after totaling 165 digs. Zach Gerken and Seth Russell are the only other returners that saw significant action last season. Gerken, who can set and play rightside, finished with 286 assists last season while Russell totaled 50 kills and 20 aces in 16 matches. The youth movement includes freshmen Jared Ray and Justin Strauss.
Juniata College also picked up 67 points to tie for 2nd place in the poll and nabbed the final remaining first-place vote. The Eagles went 23-9 overall last season and bring back six starters although their lone graduation is a big one in two-time All-American Quinn Peterson. Head Coach Glenn DeHaven has plenty left in his cupboard with the return of a trio of All-Conference players in Kevin Duffy, David Hibner, and Joe Fick. Duffy, a sophomore, earned Third-Team honors last year after recording 211 kills while leading the CVC in total blocks (92) and ranking 2nd in hitting percentage (.436). Hibner, a middle blocker, joined Duffy to form the most imposing net defense and recorded 82 blocks of his own while hitting .375 and finishing with 134 kills while picking up Third Team honors. Senior Joe Fick was second on the team with 314 kills last season and added 166 digs and 25 aces in being named First Team All-Conference. Dylan Flor changes his jersey and is a new addition to the Eagles after earning Second Team All-Conference honors last season at Kean. Robert Bowling is another transfer that joins the roster.
Coming in 4th on the poll is Marymount University with 57 points. The Saints are coached by Dan Liberto and went 14-15 last season. They will rely on their two lone seniors to help set the tone for a young roster that includes seven freshmen. Those two seniors have plenty of experience and success to pass along. Sam Safley, an outside hitter, is a two-time All-Conference performer that led the Saints with 262 kills last season while Joseph Zanelotti started all 29 matches at setter and averaged 8.98 assists per set. Ervin Harrell and Jason Perkins are sophomores that saw action last year and will be expected to take on bigger roles in the offense while sophomore Chris Manganiello will look to take control of the libero spot after averaging 1.23 digs per set. The group of seven freshmen include Haden Franken, Hayden Kerekes, and Sava Topich.
Rutgers-Newark collected 56 points for 5th place on the poll. The Scarlet Raiders welcome in first-year head coach Jack Wilson who takes over a program that was 15-10 overall last season. They return their top three attackers from last year in Elan Dorkman, Arvind Kumar, and Kyle Loesner. Dorkhman, an outside hitter, totaled 220 kills and 35 blocks last season and is joined by junior Kyle Loesner who finished with 147 kills and 45 blocks. Kumar was the 2019 CVC Rookie of the Year after totaling 194 kills while hitting .211 and recording 31 aces with 124 digs last season. Travis Emenaker is also back after leading the team with 464 assists last season as is libero Jake Connors who earned Third Team All-Conference honors last season. Nicholas Arce-Cox, David Mrowko, and Daniel Quay round out the experienced roster.
Finishing 6th on the poll is Randolph-Macon with 40 points. The Yellow Jackets were 11-15 overall last season, their first in the CVC. They are coached by Jared Horrigan, who returns all of his starters. Heading up the list of returners is senior middle hitter Lee Olenyik. Olenyik was a Third Team All-Conference selection last year after recording 292 kills, 133 digs, and 31 total blocks. Corban Jungers (161 kills) and Scotty Carter (160 kills) finished 2nd and 3rd on the team and round out the attack. Lenny Sampson, a sophomore, totaled 99 kills and led the team with 81 blocks while Connor Logan returns after finishing with 255 digs. New faces to watch are Jarrett Carrano, Sean Cunningham, and Kolby Gibson.
The Royals totaled 30 points on the poll to come in 7th place. Head Coach Danielle Lickey led the team to a 4-19 overall record last season. She will have to replace her top four attackers from last year with sophomore Jacob Durren (90 kills) and senior Martin Pou (74 kills) looking to step up. Junior setter Wyatt Bollinger is back after leading the team with 274 assists.
Elizabethtown is expected to finish 8th in the CVC, receiving 28 total points in the coaches poll. First-year head coach Matt Hamilton takes over a team that was 11-18 overall last season and will return four starters. This will be the second year of the program and they will once again look to opposite Nick Baxter to be the leader. One year ago Baxter earned Second Team All-Conference honors after he led the league in kills (444) and kills per set (4.48) and was in the top ten in aces per set, digs, digs per set, and total blocks. Mark Hall, Joey Nelson, Steven Schreffler, and Tim Zieber are expected to progress and play more important roles in the offense this year. Newcomers include Tony Camillo, Blake Hildebrand, and Steven Swain.
With 18 points in the poll, Neumann was picked 9th in the league. The Knights went 3-20 overall last season in the program's second year with head coach Joan Braid.
Wrapping up the poll in 10th is Immaculata with 10 total points. The Macs went 0-18 last year in the program's inaugural season. The Macs brings back four starters including their top three attackers from last year. Garrett Pepper led the team with 102 kills, adding 78 digs and 9 aces. Also back are Bryce Wiltbank (29 kills, 43 digs, 18 blocks) and Donte Ramos (10 kills, 100 assists, 53 digs). Head Coach Rob Smith will look to work freshmen Steven Dao, Ryan Petrie, and RJ Ubowski into the rotation.