Clarion VB #1 Pre-Season Pick by PSAC West Coaches

Richard Herman

Richard Herman

Published August 26, 2015 4:14 am
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coach millsLOCK HAVEN, Pa. (EYT) — The PSAC announced yesterday that Clarion and Pitt-Johnstown were chosen by the leagues coaches to win their respective divisions in the 2015 PSAC pre-season volleyball coaches poll.

(Photo: Coach Mills)

Clarion posted a 30-5 overall record in 2014 and a 20-2 PSAC-West mark to capture the West for the second consecutive season, while also advancing to the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the sixth straight season. The Golden Eagles have a 40-4 Western Division record the last two years and will be led again in 2015 by 9th year head coach Jennifer Mills, the winningest volleyball coach in school history.

“We think it’s a great honor that the PSAC-West coaches recognize our program as the #1 pre-season pick, but as a coaching staff we are focused right now on the process of getting better with each and every practice and match,” said Mills. “We have a very tough pre-season schedule which we feel will really help prepare us for the rigors of conference play.”

On the court the Golden Eagles return third team Daktronics All-American and PSAC “Defensive Player of the Year Morgan Seybold (Sr. Coraopolis/West Allegheny) at Libero, and PSAC-West and Atlantic Region “Freshman of the Year” Gabrielle Olson (So. Gibsonia/Pine Richland) at middle hitter. Also returning is PSAC-West second team selection Mackenzie Biggs (Jr. Aliquippa/Hopewell) as a right side hitter.

seybold

Under the leadership of coach Mills, Clarion has an eight year record of 207-71 (75.5%) and an incredible PSAC-West record of 111-31. Mills, a three-time PSAC-West “Coach of the Year” (2010, 13, 14), has led Clarion to PSAC-West crowns in the same three seasons, a PSAC title in 2010, The Atlantic Region title that same year and an NCAA Elite 8 finish. Clarion has qualified for the NCAA D-II Playoffs in each of the last six seasons.

The rest of the PSAC-West poll shows California and Gannon tied for second, Seton Hill fourth, Edinboro and Mercyhurst in a tie for fifth and IUP and Slippery rock tied for seventh.

Pitt Johnstown, who won the PSAC team championship in 2013, finished second in the PSAC-East last year with a 13-9 league record.

The Golden Eagles open their season hosting the Fourth Annual Tony Banner Invitational Tournament on September 4 and September 5 at Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium.

Coming to Clarion will be powerhouses Indianapolis, North Alabama, Ashland, Hillsdale and Gannon.

Clarion opens on Friday morning at 11am against Ashland, then plays at 7:00 p.m. that night against Hillsdale. Clarion has a date with North Alabama on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and at 5:00 p.m. versus Indianapolis.

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