Volleyball Predicted For Fourth-Place Finish in Atlantic 10 Preseason Coaches Poll

League Release

Newport News, Va. – The Fordham volleyball team has been predicted to finish fourth in the upcoming 2021 season, as determined by the Atlantic 10's head coaches in their yearly preseason poll, the league announced on Tuesday afternoon. The Rams returned to the postseason a year ago for the first time in a decade and finished the abbreviated and out-of-season campaign with an overall 5-5 record and 5-3 in conference play. They received 50 points in the poll.
 
"I think it's a testament of how far Fordham Volleyball has come over 10-plus years." Third-year head coach Ian Choi said, "I'm proud that we're starting to receive the respect of our member institutions and excited to continue pushing this program in the right direction."
 
Since the league dropped the divisional format in 2008, the Rams had never been placed higher than sixth in the preseason poll, which came in 2009. Prior to that, they had been selected second, third, and third, respectively, in the East division from 2006-08. Dayton has been chosen to repeat as champion, earning 79 points and seven first-place votes, while VCU garnered the other two first-place votes and was just behind with 74 points. Rounding out the top-five on either side of Fordham are Saint Louis (62) and Duquesne (37). The final four teams are Davidson (35), Rhode Island (34), George Mason (19), and George Washington (15).
 
Over 10 matches in the Spring, Fordham produced the sixth-best blocks per set rate in the nation (2.88), led by rising sophomore Isabel Fichtel, who shattered the previous single-season program record with 1.93 blocks per set, leading all NCAA student-athletes. However, due to only playing in eight of the required minimum 10 matches by the NCAA, that mark is not viewed by the NCAA as a new record. Fichtel's classmate, outside hitter Whitley Moody, was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and became the program's first AVCA All-Region honoree after averaging an even 4.0 kills per set, ranked 62^nd in the nation and third in the conference, plus second all-time in program history. Moody also tallied a team-high 132 kills and had the 50^th-highest points-per-set rate in the country at 4.59.
 
Joining the pair are returning libero Mallory Lipski, whose 5.31 digs per set last year placed second all-time in the record book behind only 2019 graduate Morgan Williams, and returning setter Megan Brzozowski, who was fourth in the A-10, and 115^th nationally, with 9.15 assists per set. Returning also is senior setter Makaela Tanaka, who sat out last season and shared setting duties with Brzozowski in 2019, averaging 4.18 per set that year.
 
Other returning starters include junior middle blocker Aria De La Rosa, who averaged 0.79 blocks per set and senior outside hitters Joey Landeros and Bella Ureña, who combined for 77 kills in the Spring. They are joined by four freshmen: outside hitter Lauryn Sweeney, liberos Ryan Naumann and Megan Kinney, and middle blocker Audrey Hayes.
 
Fordham kicks off its season this Friday against New Mexico in the opening match of the Titan Classic, hosted by Cal State Fullerton. All three matches this weekend will be on ESPN+ with Friday's match set for 4 p.m. Eastern.