Golden Bears Sweep Voting In Preseason Poll

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Concordia University, St. Paul debuts the 2009 volleyball season as the nation's top squad, according to the AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll, released Thursday afternoon by the AVCA. The Golden Bears earned a unanimous 32 first-place votes and 800 total points after coming away with a 37-1 record and capturing a second consecutive national championship in 2008.

A familiar foe follows Concordia University at second place in the poll: the Coyotes of Cal State San Bernardino. Last year's runner-up, CSUSB returns four starters and nine letterwinners as they aim to make another run to the title match. Fellow Northern Sun opponents receiving nods in the first poll of the year are Minnesota Duluth at 7th, Southwest Minnesota State at 8th, Augustana College at 22nd and Wayne State at 25th. With five teams ranked in the nation's top 25, the NSIC will continue to be one of the most competitve leagues in Division II.

Concordia returns five of their seven starters to the 2009 campaign, headlined by the 2008 AVCA Division II Player of the Year, Maggie McNamara. McNamara has quarterbacked the Golden Bears to a 109-7 record during her first three seasons and has led the nation in assists each season. In addition to leading the CU offense, McNamara also works to secure the Golden Bear defense. In her career, she has 5,800 total assists and 1,034 digs. She is a three-time AVCA All-American with two NSIC Player of the Year honors and three All-Region accolades. McNamara is one of three returning All-Americans from the 2008 squad (Mary Slinger, Emily Palkert).

The Golden Bears face their first opponents at the University of West Florida Tournament in Pensacola, Fla. August 28-29. They will make their first home appearances on September 11 as they host Bemidji State (non-conference) and Dowling College at the Concordia University Tournament.

View Complete Poll at http://avca.org/divisions/division-two-women/polls-rankings/