Defending Champion UB Picked For Top Spot In East Coast Conference Preseason Women's Volleyball Poll

Central Islip, N.Y.-The University of Bridgeport Purple Knights have been picked by the conference's coaches as the front runner to take home their second consecutive ECC Volleyball title. The Purple Knights captured seven first place votes and 79 points to top the ranking. Bridgeport's Ying Shen (Nanjing, China) a junior outside hitter has been named the Preseason Player of the Year.  UB also advanced to its fourth straight NCAA Division II East Regional Final in 2012.

Bridgeport overwhelmed the ECC competition in 2012, posting a 15-1 mark in the regular season to go along with capturing the ECC Championship for the second time in four seasons. The Purple Knights also advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season and the NCAA East Region Final for the fourth consecutive year.

New York Institute of Technology received one first place vote and 71 points to come in second in the poll. The Bears posted a 22-10 mark in 2012 and made their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Roberts Wesleyan, who posted an 11-4 ECC mark last season and would have made the conference tournament if they weren't ineligible as NCAA provisional members, rounds out the top three with 55 points.

LIU Post, who comes in at No. 4 with 52 points, receives the final first place vote following a season which also ended up with a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Conference newcomer and reigning USCAA National Champion, Daemen, comes in at tie in the fifth spot in the poll with Dowling. The Golden Lions enter the 2013 season with a streak of 11 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

Shen was dominant in her first season at Bridgeport, ranking in the top five in the conference in kills (418), kills per set (3.51), and hitting percentage (.318). Her outstanding play earned her numerous honors including Most Outstanding Player of the ECC Championship, ECC All-Conference First Team honors, and a spot on the American Volleyball Coaches Association Honorable Mention All-America team.

2013 ECC Volleyball Preseason Poll

( ) - first place votes
* - ineligible for conference tournament as NCAA provisional member

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About the ECC 

Founded as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference in 1989 and rechristened the East Coast Conference in July 2006, the ECC was formed to enhance intercollegiate athletic competition among member institutions and to assist them in integrating athletics into their academic program in a fiscally sound way. The ECC is committed to the highest standards of scholarship, sportsmanship, teamwork, and citizenship. Its mission is to promote the total person concept in its student-athletes, which stresses the abilities to excel in academic achievement, athletic competition, and positive character traits. East Coast Conference members include: University of Bridgeport (Bridgeport, Conn.); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.); Daemen College (Amherst, N.Y.); Dowling College (Oakdale, N.Y.); LIU Post (Brookville, N.Y.); Mercy College (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.); Molloy College (Rockville Centre, N.Y.); New York Institute of Technology (Old Westbury, N.Y.); Queens College (Flushing, N.Y.); Roberts Wesleyan College (Rochester, N.Y.) and St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, N.Y.). Associate Members include: Chestnut Hill College (Philadelphia, Pa.), Dominican College (Orangeburg, N.Y.), and Georgian Court University (Lakewood, N.J.).

The ECC sponsors the following championship sports: baseball; men's and women's basketball; men's and women's cross country; men's and women's lacrosse; softball; men's and women's tennis; men's and women's indoor track and field; men's and women's outdoor track and field; men's and women's soccer; and women's volleyball.

The East Coast Conference is a proud member of the NCAA and Division II. Division II is a dynamic and engaging group of colleges, institutions and conferences of varying sizes and educational missions. Division II members encourage and support diversity; value sportsmanship, fairness and equity; and place the highest priority on the overall educational excellence of the student-athlete.