Aug. 15, 2017
ROSEMONT, Ill. - The No. 6 ranked Penn State women's volleyball team has been picked to win the Big Ten regular season title, according to the Big Ten women's volleyball preseason coaches' poll announced on Tuesday afternoon.
This marks the fourth time in the past five seasons and 11th in the last 13 that the Nittany Lions have been tabbed as the preseason favorite, last season Penn State was picked to finish fourth by the league's coaches.
The Big Ten also announced its Preseason All-Big Ten Volleyball Team and PSU landed three honorees on the list to tie Minnesota for the most in the conference. Senior's Ali Frantti (Spring Grove, Ill.) and Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colo.) earn their third straight preseason honor while classmate Simone Lee (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) secures her first preseason All-Big Ten nod.
Penn State returns 15 letterwinners and welcomes in four newcomers to comprise the 2017 roster. The Lions open their 2017 slate on the road as part of the West Virginia Tournament as they battle UT-Martin on Friday, August 25 at 4:30 p.m.
2017 BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL
- Penn State
- Nebraska
- Minnesota
- Michigan State
- Wisconsin
- Purdue
- Michigan
- Ohio State
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Maryland
- Northwestern
- Indiana
- Rutgers
2017 PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL TEAM
Ali Bastianelli, Jr., MB, Illinois
Jordyn Poulter, Jr., S, Illinois
Claire Kieffer-Wright, Sr., MB, Michigan
Alyssa Garvelink, Sr., MB, Michigan State
Alexis Hart, So., OH, Minnesota
Molly Lohman, Sr., MB, Minnesota
SAMANTHA SELIGER-SWENSON, Jr., S, Minnesota
MIKAELA FOECKE, Jr., OH, Nebraska
Kelly Hunter, Sr. S, Nebraska
Ali Frantti, Sr. OH, Penn State
Simone Lee, Sr., OH, Penn State
Haleigh Washington, Sr. MB, Penn State
Danielle Cuttino, Sr. OH, Purdue
Molly Haggerty, So. OH, Wisconsin
Tionna Williams, Jr. MB, Wisconsin