CCC Coaches Pick Women's Volleyball Fifth in Preseason Poll

2017 CCC Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll Video

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – After ending Roger Williams' seven-year run as Commonwealth Coast Conference Champions, Endicott has been picked to repeat by the league's coaches in the annual CCC Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.

The Gulls received six of a possible 10 first-place votes for 96 points in the poll while Hawks collected the other four first-place tallies and 91 points. Western New England, last season's runner up, was third with 76 points, followed by Salve Regina (68) and Wentworth (58) to round out the top five.

Gordon (57 points), the University of New England (45), Curry (27), Eastern Nazarene (20), and Nichols (13) rounded out the poll in that order.

Losing just one senior from the most successful season in program history in 2016, the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team looks to contest for the CCC title with 12 letterwinners expected to return. The Leopards, who finished 23-6 overall and hosted a playoff match for the first time in program history a season ago, will be led by sophomore Leah Rogoz (Woodbridge, Ill.), last year's conference rookie of the year and a First Team All-CCC selection. Rogoz averaged 3.24 kills and 3.23 digs per set to become the first player in program history to take home top rookie honors. Classmate Claire Quick (Mission Viejo, Calif.) also returns after a season that saw her named Third Team All-CCC. Quick averaged 2.77 kills and 3.19 digs per set during her rookie season. Classmate Samantha Lassiter (Rogers, Ark.) hit a program-best and conference-leading .359 as a freshman to go along with averaging 0.76 blocks per set while sophomore Lillie Clark (Vista, Calif.) averaged 4.28 digs and 0.56 aces per set. Rounding out a solid sophomore class is Katie Clouse (Hudson Falls, N.Y.) who averaged 5.00 assists per set. Seniors Katelyn Carlson (Stratford, Conn.) and Caroline Shea (Abington, Mass.) are among other also expected to make contributions. Carlson averaged 4.15 assists and 2.04 digs per set as a junior and Shea contributed with 1.58 kills per set.

The first volleyball matches for CCC teams are on Friday, Sept. 1 with nine of the 10 teams in non-conference action. First serve in conference play is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 14 with Curry taking on Gordon. The other teams will have their first league matches later that week. The top eight teams in the conference standings at the end of the regular-season will earn berths into the CCC Championship Tournament. The tournament begins Tuesday, Oct. 31 with the quarterfinal round and concludes on Saturday, Nov. 4 with the championship match. The CCC Women's Volleyball Tournament Champion will earn the league's automatic qualifier into the 2017 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship.

Wentworth opens the season at the Colonial Invitational at Western Connecticut on Sept. 1. The Leopards will play two matches on both Friday and Saturday.

2017 CCC Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll

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