Aug. 28, 2012

LANCASTER, PA - The Johns Hopkins volleyball team has been unanimously selected to capture its second consecutive Centennial Conference crown according to the 2012 preseason coaches poll. Last season Hopkins went undefeated in conference play en route to capturing its first Centennial Conference title since 2005.

Despite losing All-American Melissa Cole to graduation, reigning Centennial Conference Coach of the Year Matt Troy returns 14 players to a side that boasted a program-best 0.833 (25-5) winning percentage in 2011.

First Team All-Centennial Conference outside hitter Meagan Donohoe is expected to lead the Blue Jay attack and put pressure on opposing defenses. Donohoe led Hopkins in kills (267) and hitting percentage (0.321) as a freshman in 2011.

Also returning for Hopkins are setter Mariel Metalios and libero Anne Cohen. Metalios led the Blue Jays with 632 assists, while Cohen was first on the team in digs (321).

The Blue Jays have not lost a regular season conference match since October 6, 2010 at Gettysburg, and dropped just four sets in 2011. Hopkins collected a program-best 15 consecutive victories before being defeated by Randolph-Macon in the opening round of the NCAA Regional tournament last season.

Johns Hopkins is set to begin regular season play versus Cabrini at Goucher College on Saturday and will open conference play at Muhlenberg on September 21.

2012 Centennial Conference Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Johns Hopkins (10 first-place votes), 100 pts.

2. Franklin & Marshall (1), 89

3. Gettysburg, 79

4. Swarthmore, 75

5. Haverford, 62

6. Muhlenberg, 59

8T. Dickinson, 33

8T. Ursinus, 33

10. Bryn Mawr, 27

11. McDaniel, 13

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