UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State has been picked to finish fourth in the 2019 Big Ten women's volleyball standings, as announced with the release of the league's preseason poll on Monday.
The Nittany Lions, who are ranked eighth in the country to start the season, had three players voted Preseason All-Big Ten. Senior Kendall White was a unanimous selection and was joined on the team by sophomores Jonni Parker and Kaitlyn Hord.
White was a first team All-America selection at libero last season, adding to her second team All-America selection as a sophomore. She was voted the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year last season and was a unanimous first team All-Big Ten honoree. White ranks fourth in program history with 1,520 digs and needs just 438 to become the all-time leader.
Parker and Hord had outstanding freshman seasons last year. Parker was a third team All-America selection while playing on the right said, while Hord was an honorable mention All-America honoree as a middle blocker.
Both Parker and Hord were honored by the conference at the end of their rookie seasons. Parker was a first team All-Big Ten player and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Hord was voted to the second team.
Penn State opens the season Friday at 7:30 p.m. against Hofstra at Rec Hall. It is the Lions first match of the Penn State Classic, which also includes matches against Holy Cross and Wichita State on Saturday.
The 2019 Penn State women's volleyball season is presented by McLanahan's.
2019 PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL TEAM
JACQUELINE QUADE, SR., OH, ILLINOIS
Erika Pritchard, Jr., OH, Maryland
Alexis Hart, Sr., OH, Minnesota
Taylor Morgan, Sr., MB, Minnesota
Stephanie Samedy, Jr., OPP, Minnesota
Nicklin Hames, So., S, Nebraska
Lauren Stivrins, Jr., MB, Nebraska
Lexi Sun, Jr., OH, Nebraska
Kaitlyn Hord, So., MB, Penn State
Jonni Parker, So., RS, Penn State
KENDALL WHITE, Sr., DS, PENN STATE
Blake Mohler, Sr., MB, Purdue
Sydney Hilley, Jr., S, Wisconsin
DANA RETTKE, Jr., MB, WISCONSIN
UNANIMOUS SELECTIONS IN CAPS
2019 BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL
1. Wisconsin
2. Nebraska
3. Minnesota
4. Penn State
5. Illinois
6. Purdue
7. Michigan
8. Ohio State
9. Michigan State
10. Maryland
11. Indiana
12. Northwestern
13. Iowa
14. Rutgers
