(BUTLER SI)
NEW YORK – Butler middle blocker Melody Davidson has been selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team after a vote from the conference head coaches. The Spring Preseason Coaches' Poll also came out today with a new look. St. John's led the way in the East Division while Creighton claimed the top spot in the Midwest. Butler landed in fifth place of the Midwest Poll with six points.
Davidson is the top returner on the roster for head coach Sharon Clark. In 2019 as a sophomore, Davidson led the BIG EAST and ranked 46th in the nation with 134 total blocks. She posted 215 kills and led the team with a .274 attack percentage.
BIG EAST volleyball will played divisionally this spring with five teams in the East (Connecticut, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall and Villanova) and five teams in the Midwest (Butler, Creighton, DePaul, Marquette and Xavier). St. John's collected 16 points in the East along with four first-place votes. Villanova, UConn, Seton Hall and Providence would round out the East Division.
In the Midwest, Creighton edged out Marquette for the top spot. The Bluejays earned three first-place votes while Marquette was close behind in second with two. DePaul finished third with eight points, Xavier was just behind them with seven and BU took fifth with six.
League play will start on Friday, Feb. 19. Each team is scheduled to play divisional opponents twice, with both games scheduled at one location on the same weekend. The championship is scheduled for April 2 and 3, hosted by Creighton. The Championship will pit the top two teams in the East and Midwest against each other.
Spring 2020-21 Preseason Coaches' Polls
First-place votes in parenthesis
East Division
1) St. John's (4) 16 Points
2) Villanova (1) 13 Points
3) UConn 8 Points
4) Seton Hall 7 Points
5) Providence 6 Points
Midwest Division
1) Creighton (3) 15 Points
2) Marquette (2) 14 Points
3) DePaul 8 Points
4) Xavier 7 Points
5) Butler 6 Points
Preseason BIG EAST Volleyball Player of the Year
Efrosini Alexakou, St. John's, Jr., OH
Preseason All-BIG EAST *
(listed alphabetically by institution, then last name)
Melody Davidson, Butler, R-Jr., MB
Keeley Davis, Creighton, So., OH
Erica Kostelac, Creighton, Sr., OH
Jaela Zimmerman, Creighton, Jr., OH ^
Donna Brown, DePaul. Jr., MH ^
Hannah Vanden Berg, Marquette, So., OH
Hope Werch, Marquette, Sr., OH ^
Taylor Wolf, Marquette, SR., RS/Setter
Jennifer Leitman, Providence, So., OH
Efrosini Alexakou, St. John's, Jr., Setter ^
Rachele Rastelli, St. John's, Jr. RS ^
Sophia Howling, Villanova, RS-Jr., MH
Lauren Hanlon, Xavier, RS-So., RS
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