New Orleans, Lou. - The Sun Belt Conference has announced that South Alabama has been voted to win the West Division in the Preseason Coaches Poll, with three players earning preseason conference honors.
USA received 10 of the 14 first place votes for the West Division and received 93 points. Texas State was voted second with three first-place votes and 77 points, and Troy earned 71 points for third place in the Division.
The Jaguars are returning from a 18-13 (10-6 in conference) campaign for a second-place finish in the West Division, and a Sun Belt Championship Semifinal appearance.
Senior Setter Kailey Keeble was voted as SBC Preseason Setter of the Year, as well as being selected to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team. Keeble is returning for her third season in the red and blue after being named Second Team All-SBC in 2022 and posting 1,188 assists and 10.15 assists per game, both fourth all-time by a Jaguar in a single season. Keeble recorded 21 double-doubles last season, beating her career best set the season before (19) and is currently at 40 career double-doubles, 6 away from setting the South Alabama record (45).
Fifth-Year players Hannah Maddux and Nikki Capizzi were both voted to the Preseason All-Sun Belt team. Coming off her 2022 First Team All-Sun Belt selection, Maddux is looking to add to her 1,001 career kills and 1,173 points. Maddux started in 26 of 31 appearances, and led the Jaguars in kills (478), kills per set (4.05), and tied for solo blocks (26).
Niki Capizzi received Second Team All-Sun Belt in 2022 with 116 blocks and 28 service aces, both best among returning players, and 280 kills in her 31 starts. She tied her career high eight blocks in the October 22nd match against Texas State, and tied her career high in kills (14) in three separate matches, the latest being in the same Texas State game.
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2023 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Volleyball Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Miëtte Veldman, James Madison
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Sophie Davis, James Madison
Preseason Setter of the Year: Kailey Keeble, South Alabama
Preseason Libero of the Year: Megan Harris, Southern Miss
Preseason All-Sun Belt
McCall Denny, App State
Maya Winterhoff, App State
Sophie Davis, James Madison
Caroline Dozier, James Madison
Miëtte Veldman, James Madison
Myah Conway, Old Dominion
Niki Capizzi, South Alabama
Kailey Keeble, South Alabama
Hannah Maddux, South Alabama
Cara Atkinson, Southern Miss
Mia Wesley, Southern Miss
Tori Hester, Troy
2023 Sun Belt Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll
East Division
1. James Madison – 94 (13)
2. App State – 70 (1)
3. Coastal Carolina – 69
4. Georgia Southern – 55
5. Old Dominion – 54
6. Marshall – 29
7. Georgia State - 21
West Division
1. South Alabama - 93 (10)
2. Texas State - 77 (3)
3. Troy - 71
4. Southern Miss - 51
5. Louisiana - 47
6. Arkansas State - 37 (1)
7. ULM – 16
