Golden Bears Debut at No. 1 in the Nation by AVCA Preseason Poll

Aug. 19–

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Three-time defending National Champion, Concordia University, has once again been pegged as the program to beat, with the Golden Bears being voted the No. 1 team in the 2010 AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25 Preseason Poll, as announced by AVCA headquarters late yesterday afternoon. FULL POLL

Concordia-St. Paul, under the direction of the NCAA's winningest active head coach, Brady Starkey, reeled off its third straight national title last year after turning in a perfect 37-0 record, extending its NCAA Division II record 74-match win streak along the way. Despite losing setter Maggie McNamara, who was twice named the AVCA Division II National Player of the Year, the Golden Bears weren’t left shorthanded as the squad returns four starters and eight total letterwinners. Leading the charge will be middle blocker Emily Palkert, a two-time AVCA First-Team All-America selection and 2009 AVCA Second-Team All-American outside hitter Megan Carlson. AVCA All-Central Region Honorable Mention selection Cassie Haag bolsters the middle heading into her sophomore season.

Concordia once again faces a tough schedule with two teams ranked in the preseason top-5 on... CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY ON THEIR WEBSITE.