(AUSTINTOWN, Ohio)--Capital University's volleyball team was picked to finish second in the 2007 Ohio Athletic Conference Coaches Preseason poll.
The Crusaders return 11 letterwinners and all but one starter from a 26-10 team that made its second-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and finished ranked No. 24 in the nation. Headlining the returning players is senior Jessie Hampson (Lancaster/Lancaster) who is a two-time All-OAC selection.
Regular season defending champion Ohio Northern University was the top pick of the coaches this season.
"Being picked second shows the respect that the coaches have for our program," commented 15-year head coach Pam Briggs. "Regardless where we are in the preseason poll, we know we have to battle every night out to finish in the top part of the OAC."
Capital starts the 2007 season on August 31 hosting the Capital Invitational at The Capital Center.
2007 OAC Coaches Preseason Poll (First Place votes in parenthesis)
1. Ohio Northern (9) -- 81
2. Capital (1) -- 72
3. Mount Union -- 61
4. Baldwin-Wallace -- 56
5. Otterbein -- 47
6. Heidelberg -- 44
7. Muskingum -- 41
8. John Carroll -- 23
9. Marietta -- 21
10. Wilmington -- 9