RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Manhattan College volleyball team was picked to finish ninth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) in the MAAC's annual preseason poll, the conference office announced on Tuesday morning. The Lady Jaspers collected 28 points in the poll of the conference's 10 head coaches, just one point behind eighth-place Saint Peter's. Defending MAAC Champion Niagara was tabbed to repeat as conference champions.
Niagara (93) finished just one point ahead of perennial MAAC contender Fairfield (92) for the top spot in the poll. Marist, the team the Purple Eagles defeated in last season's MAAC Championship Match, placed third with 68 points, narrowly ahead of Siena with 66. Iona was fifth with 58 points, followed by Loyola (57) and Canisius (44). Rider collected 15 points to round out the poll. In addition, Loyola's Nina Camaioni and Niagara's Michelle James were named the MAAC Preseason Co-Players of the Year.
All 10 teams will qualify for the MAAC Championships, which are being held this season at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., from Nov. 18-20.
The Lady Jaspers return 10 letterwinners and five starters for Head Coach Mark Jones's second season at the helm. Manhattan gets the 2010 campaign underway with two matches at the Cal Molten Classic on Saturday. The Lady Jaspers take on perennial national power UCSB in the afternoon before taking on 11th-ranked Cal on Saturday night.
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