IRVING, Texas – For the first time, the Rice Owls were selected as the preseason favorite in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll announced Monday, as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team in the preseason poll or their own student-athletes for the individual honors.
The Owls were named the favorites after receiving eight first-place votes from the league’s other coaches, earning 136 points. Wichita State finished in a close second with four first-place votes and 127 total points, while South Florida earned one first-place vote and 121 points.
East Carolina was picked fourth with 106 points, while Florida Atlantic rounded out the top five with 104 points. North Texas was selected to finish sixth with 86 points, followed by UTSA (79), Temple (57), Memphis (56), Tulsa (52), Charlotte (36), Tulane (30) and UAB (24).
East Carolina’s junior outside hitter Angeles Alderete was named the Preseason Player of the Year. It marks the first time that a Pirate has been selected for the award. Alderete is a two-time American All-Conference selection, including earning a first team selection a season ago. The junior led the Pirates in kills (376), kills per set (3.19), total digs (364), points (430.5) and points per set (3.65) in 2023.
South Florida’s junior outside hitter Maria Clara Andrade joins Alderete as one of the members of the 2023 All-American Athletic Conference First Team were named to the 2024 Preseason All-Conference Team. Six other members of the Preseason All-Conference Team were second team all-conference selections in 2023 (Florida Atlantic’s Valeria Rosado, Rice’s Nia McCardell, South Florida’s Caroline Dykes, UTSA’s Mia Soerensen, and Wichita State’s Morgan Stout and Izzi Strand.
South Florida and Wichita State led all teams with two selections on the preseason squad, while Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Temple, UTSA and Tulane each had two honorees.
American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- Rice (8) 136
- Wichita State (4) 127
- South Florida (1) 121
- East Carolina 106
- Florida Atlantic 104
- North Texas 86
- UTSA 79
- Temple 57
- Memphis 56
- Tulsa 52
- Charlotte 36
- Tulane 30
- UAB 24
Preseason Player of the Year
Angeles Alderete, Jr., OH, East Carolina
Preseason All-Conference Team
Lara Kretchmer, Gr., MB, Charlotte
Angeles Alderete, Jr., OH, East Carolina*
Valeria Rosado, Sr., OH/RS, Florida Atlantic*
Aryn Johnson, Sr., OH, North Texas
Nia McCardell, 5th, L/DS, Rice
Maria Clara Andrade, Jr., OH, South Florida
Caroline Dykes, Sr., S, South Florida
Taylor Davenport, Gr., OH, Temple
Mia Soerensen, Jr., OPP, UTSA*
Avery Burks, So., OH, Tulane
Morgan Stout, R-Sr., MB, Wichita State*
Izzi Strand, 5th, S, Wichita State*
* denotes unanimous selection
