The USA South Athletic Conference's volleyball coaches have released their 2022 preseason poll. Head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting.

Southern Virginia was picked to defend its championship from a year ago thanks to receiving 81 total points and nine of the possible ten first place votes. The Knights finished last season with a 16-2 regular season Conference record, claimed the East Division Championship, and captured the USA South Tournament crown. Meredith, who was second in the poll with 70 total points and the final first place vote, was Southern Virginia's opponent in last year's tournament championship match. William Peace rounded out the top-three with 67 points. 

The Lady Bishop volleyball program was picked to finish 6th out of 10 schools in the conference preseason poll with 39 voting points. Led by 7th year coach Vicky Gentile, the Bishops will open their season next weekend at a tournament in LaGrange, Ga.

Since the first Conference volleyball preseason poll in 2003, the team picked to capture the League title has done so ten out of 18 years. Conversely, the team picked second in the poll's history, has won the Conference championship six times, including Southern Virginia last season. Finally, the team picked first in the preseason poll has reached the finals of the Conference tournament on 15 occasions.

The 2022 USA South Volleyball Tournament will once again be conducted exclusively on campus sites. The top-eight seeded teams will advance to the tournament which will begin with first round action on Tuesday, November 1. The semifinals will take place Thursday, November 3 with the finals occurring on Saturday, November 5. The higher-seeded team in each contest will host.

https://usasouth.net/sports/wvball/2022-23/releases/20220817i7ltl7