Juhl, Mattingly Named Co-Preseason Players of the Year

Aug 21, 2013

The University of Louisville has been selected as the favorite in the 2013 American Athletic Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll. Louisville's Brooke Mattingly and Emily Juhl were named co-Preseason Players of the Year. The votes were cast by the league's 10 head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own teams.

Louisville is the favorite for the inaugural season of The American in 2013 after a record breaking season in 2012, receiving 79 points and seven first place votes. The Cardinals captured their second consecutive BIG EAST regular season title in 2012, posting a 30-4 overall record and a 13-1 conference mark, recording the fifth season in program history with at least 30 wins. In 2012 the Cardinals finished ranked No. 7 in the RPI and No. 17 in the AVCA Coaches Poll. Louisville advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after a first round victory over Belmont. They return a talented roster that features four members of the preseason All-Conference team, including the Co-Preseason Players of the Year, Brooke Mattingly and Emily Juhl. Mattingly, an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection last season, posted 209 kills, 85 blocks, and a .337 hitting percentage in 2012. Juhl, a senior outside hitter, recorded 159 kills, 67 blocks, and had 55 digs on the season. Joining them as Preseason All-Conference selections are Caitlin Welch and Hannah Kvittle. Welch was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team last year, leading the team with 628 digs, while Kvittle had 691 assists and a team high 32 aces.

UCF was selected to finish second behind the Cardinals, garnering 69 points and two first place votes. The Knights posted an 18-15 record last season under head coach Todd Dagenais, who enters his sixth season at the helm. UCF returns a strong core of players, including Preseason All-Conference Team selections junior DeLaina Sarden (a unanimous selection) and senior Angelica Crump. Sarden recorded 269 kills and 127 combined blocks last season en route to being named First Team All-Conference USA and an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention. Crump was named to the Conference USA Second Team and has 1,094 career kills.

Claiming the third spot in the preseason poll was Connecticut, which earned 59 points and a first place vote. The Huskies return 10 letterwinners from last year's 19-12 squad, including six players that recorded at least 100 kills. Head Coach Holly Strauss-O'Brien enters her ninth season as coach at UConn with 126 career victories at the school. Cincinnati was picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll, notching 53 total points after a 12-20 record in head coach Molly Alvey's debut season. The team's lone senior, Emmi MacIntyre, has been named to the Preseason All-Conference Team after being named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team last season. MacIntyre enters the season third in Bearcats' history with 1,607 career digs and second with 4.24 career digs per set.

USF is predicted to finish fifth, receiving 49 points after recording a 17-15 mark in 2012 in head coach Courtney Draper's debut season. The Bulls are led by the 2012 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, Erin Fairs. After leading the team with 316 kills last season, the sophomore was a unanimous selection for the Preseason Team.

SMU was picked for sixth place, and had two players named to The American Preseason Team. Junior Caroline Young was a unanimous selection after being named to the AVCA All-Midwest Region Team and the All-Conference USA First Team, and leading Conference USA with 51 aces. Senior Maddie Lozano was also selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team. The middle blocker finished third in Conference USA last season with 132 blocks and was second on SMU with 238 kills.

Temple senior Gabriella Matautia and Houston sophomore Emily Howard were also selected to the All-American Conference Team. Matautia was named to the Atlantic 10 First Team after leading the conference with 41 aces and finishing second in the Atlantic 10 with 437 kills. Howard had a strong freshman season for the Cougars, finishing with 144 kills, 88 blocks, and a .241 attack percentage. The Owls, 19-11 last season, were picked seventh, while Houston, 9-19 in 2012, was predicted to finish eighth.

Rutgers and Memphis round out the conference poll. Rutgers, who was picked ninth, was 18-12 last season as the squad won their most matches since 2000. Memphis, selected to finish 10th, was 12-19 last season and graduated three of their top four hitters.

The American Athletic Conference, based in Providence, R.I., rebranded on July 1, 2013. In its inaugural year, The American is fortunate to be able to draw from the previous successes and traditions already established in its 10 inaugural women's volleyball programs. The volleyball season will start on August 30, with team's facing nonconference opponents. There is no championship tournament for women's volleyball in the inaugural season of the conference. The regular season champion will be rewarded with an automatic berth into the NCAA Championship.

2013 American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' PollSchool (First Place Votes)  Points1. Louisville (7)   792. UCF (2)  693. UConn (1)    594. Cincinnati   535. USF           496. SMU           417. Temple   368. Houston  269. Rutgers  2110. Memphis 17
2013 American Athletic Conference Volleyball Preseason Awards
American Athletic Conference Preseason Players of the YearBrooke Mattingly, Louisville, Sr., MBEmily Juhl, Louisville, Sr., OH
All- American Athletic Conference Preseason TeamAngelica Crump, UCF, Sr., OH* Erin Fairs, USF. So., OHEmily Howard, Houston, So., MB* Emily Juhl, Louisville, Sr., OHHannah Kvittle, Louisville, Sr., SMaddie Lozano, SMU, Sr., MBEmmi MacIntyre, Cincinnati, Sr., DSGabriella Matautia, Temple, Sr., RS* Brooke Mattingly, Louisville, Sr., MB* DeLaina Sarden, UCF, Jr., MB* Caitlin Welch, Louisville, Sr., DS/L* Caroline Young, SMU, Jr., OH* - unanimous selection

University of Louisville Athletics

Juhl, Mattingly Named Co-Preseason Players of the Year

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