Fayetteville, N.C. - The USA South Athletic Conference has released its 2013 fall sport preseason coaches polls for volleyball and soccer.  North Carolina Wesleyan's volleyball squad received a 2nd-place billing in the league's North Division, while men's soccer was tabbed 3rd and women's soccer 10th in their respective polls.

In volleyball, 14th-year head coach Robin Pietryk's Bishops earned 102 total points and 42 division points en route to a 2nd-place finish in the North and 5th-place selection overall. Pietryk has her work cut out for her as she has to replace six starters from last year's squad that finished 21-10 overall and 9-2 in league play. Wesleyan returns three letterwinners, led by All-Conference selection Taylor Johnson in the middle, while Emily Bower and Heather Hunter round out a senior class that has never won less than 20 matches. The Bishops, in fact, have posted six straight 20-win seasons heading into this fall.  Elsewhere around the league, Averett and Maryville were picked to win their respective divisions, with the Scots taking the overall poll with 11 first-place votes.

In men's soccer, 3rd-year head coach Frankie Taal's squad was tabbed 4th in its poll, picking up 66 total points in the voting.  Taal anticipates returning 16 letterwinners this fall, including five starters.  The Bishops are looking to build on a 9-3-3 campaign and will likely be led by senior captain Leifer Kristjansson on defense. Wesleyan finished just two points behind Greensboro in the poll, which was headed by preseason favorite Methodist with eight first-place votes.

Finally, women's soccer placed 10th in its poll but hopes to be a surprise team in the league.  Head coach Beverly Biancur, in her 7th season, looks to build on a much-improved 6-10-1 slate in 2012. NCWC is poised to do so with seven key starters returning. Leading the way are sophomore Sarah Olsowski and junior Danielle Hickman, who each garnered All-Conference honors last season. At the top of the poll was defending champion Averett with 11 first-place votes.

Season-opening matches are just a few weeks away as men's soccer opens up at home on Friday, August 30th, versus Bridgewater at 4:00pm. The Bishop women are in action the following day with volleyball taking part in a tri-match at Randolph-Macon and women's soccer hosting Salem at 2:00pm. 

To view the complete USA South coaches poll in each sport, please visit www.usasouth.net.