Volleyball Predicted to Finish Seventh in Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll

Newport News, Va. – The Atlantic 10 has released its preseason poll for the upcoming 2018 volleyball campaign, as voted on by the league's head coaches, and Fordham has been predicted to finish seventh for a third consecutive season. VCU was selected unanimously to successfully defend it's A-10 championship. "The poll isn't surprising as it's close to how we finished," Head coach Ian Choi said, "Hopefully this adds a little bit to the team's motivation when we inevitably hit the grind of the conference season." The Rams garnered 36 total votes, ahead of Davidson (35), La Salle (23), and George Mason (18). Behind VCU at the top of the poll, and similarly selected unanimously, are Dayton, with 90 votes, and Saint Louis, with 80, to round out the top three. Also chosen by the league's coaches to reach the postseason tournament, to be held this year at Richmond's Siegel Center, was Duquesne, with 63 votes, George Washington, with 61 votes, and Rhode Island, with 44 votes. Fordham begins its season this Friday morning against Eastern Michigan to open the Jack Kaiser Classic, hosted by nearby St. John's. The Rams will then play a doubleheader on Saturday against the Red Storm at 10 a.m. followed by Central Connecticut State at 1 p.m. Fans won't have to wait long for the team's home opener, which will take place next Friday afternoon in the opening match of the Rose Hill Classic as Fordham hosts Marist at 2:30 p.m. The Rams play the top three teams in the preseason poll and Davidson just once in conference action, consecutively over two weekends, on the road at Dayton and Saint Louis and then at home against Davidson and VCU in mid-October. They will play the other five teams both home and away.