NEW YORK -- The 2023 BIG EAST Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll favors Marquette to claim the conference crown, as announced on Wednesday. The Golden Eagles captured a share of the BIG EAST regular season title last season, owning a 29-4 record and advancing to the third round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament. Head Coach Ryan Theis’ squad leads the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team with a conference-best four selections.
For the second consecutive season, Creighton’s Norah Sis is the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year.
Marquette amassed 97 points, including seven first-place votes, to lead the league. The Golden Eagles edged reigning BIG EAST Tournament Champion, Creighton, who received four first-place votes.
Xavier was tabbed to finish third (78) following a semifinal finish at the 2022 BIG EAST Volleyball Championship. The Musketeers were followed by fellow tournament competitors St. John’s, in fourth (64), and UConn, in fifth (63). DePaul collected 59 points for a sixth-place finish. Villanova placed seventh (46) in front Butler in eighth (40), Seton Hall in ninth (30), and Providence in tenth (18). Georgetown closed the group in eleventh with 16 points.
Sis, a junior outside hitter, repeats as the Preseason Player of the Year following a second standout season in Omaha. The 2022 BIG EAST Player of the Year boasts a pair of BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors (2022, 2021) in addition to AVCA All-American recognitions during her freshman and sophomore campaigns. In 2021, Sis was lauded BIG EAST Freshman of the Year. This spring, the Papillion, Nebraska native earned a gold medal at the Pan American Games with the USA Volleyball Under-21 team.
The Preseason All-BIG EAST team features four unanimous selections in Sis, Kendra Wait (Creighton), Yadhira Anchante (Marquette), and Carsen Murray (Marquette). They are joined by Jaymeson Kinley (Butler), Ava Martin (Creighton), Jill Pressly (DePaul), Hattie Bray (Marquette), Aubrey Hamilton (Marquette), Giorgia Walther (St. John’s), Brooklyn Cink (Xavier), and Carrigan O’Reilly (Xavier).
Of note, all five of last season’s major award winners are represented on the Preseason squad. In 2022, Kinley was voted BIG EAST Libero of the Year, Anchante was recognized as the Setter of the Year, and Martin was named Freshman of the Year. Cink and O’Reilly return under the leadership of Xavier’s Christy Pfeffenberger, Ed Tolentino, and Andre Foster- the 2022 Coaching Staff of the year.
The 2023 BIG EAST Volleyball Championship will take place November 22-25 at the Al McGuire Center on the campus of Marquette University. The three-round tournament will feature the conference’s top six teams, as determined by the results of the regular season.
Preseason Coaches Poll
(First place votes)
- Marquette (7) 97
- Creighton (4) 94
- Xavier 78
- St. John’s 64
- UConn 63
- DePaul 59
- Villanova 46
- Butler 40
- Seton Hall 30
- Providence 18
- Georgetown 16
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year: Norah Sis, Creighton, Jr., OH
Preseason All-BIG EAST
Jaymeson Kinley, R.S. Sr, Butler, DS
Ava Martin, So., Creighton, OH
Norah Sis, Jr., Creighton*, OH
Kendra Wait, Jr., Creighton*, S
Jill Pressly, Sr., OH, DePaul
Yadhira Anchante, Jr., Marquette*, S
Hattie Bray, Jr., Marquette, MB
Aubrey Hamilton, Sr., Marquette, OH
Carsen Murray, Sr., Marquette*, MB
Giorgia Walther, Jr., St. John’s, OH
Brooklyn Cink, Gr., Xavier, OH
Carrigan O’Reilly, Gr., Xavier, S/RS
*Unanimous selection