BENNINGTON, Vt. – Collecting five of the possible nine first place votes, the Southern Vermont College women’s volleyball team was chosen to again finish atop the conference by a preseason coaches poll as announced by the league on Saturday.

The Mountaineers have captured the NECC regular season and tournament championships in each of the last three years, and interim head coach Jessica Alvarez is working hard with her team to keep the championship trophy cup on the SVC campus.

Southern Vermont looks to replicate is 2013 record that saw the Mountaineers finish the season with a 12-9 mark including a 7-1 showing against the NECC in regular season play.

Alvarez, who was an assistant coach on last year’s squad, sees key players returning in 2014. Among those is junior Jessica Delgado (Los Angeles, Calif.), the 2013 NECC Player of the Year. She is joined by junior setter Sheilani Kaleopa (Riverside, Calif.) who was pivotal in setting up the Mountaineer offense, recording 6.22 assists per set last season. Additionally, sophomore hitter Brin Goldman (St. Croix, Virgin Islands) comes back to SVC, looking to turn what she learned her freshman season into a polished game for Alvarez.

Also rejoining the Mountaineers are senior Alexandra Sinicropi (Fultonville, N.Y.) and junior Marykay Pruckno (Rome, N.Y.), two players who will have a strong impact on the defensive side of the net for Southern Vermont.

SVC begins regular season play Friday, September 5 with a 7 p.m. home match against Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts; prior to the start of the contest, the Mountaineers will unveil their 2013 NECC Championship and NCAA tournament appearance banners. Southern Vermont will face a tough 2014 non-conference schedule against the likes of Roger Williams University (Sept. 13) and Rivier College (Sept. 27), both teams that made the NCAA tournament in 2013. Looking to get back to the NECC playoffs and capture their fourth straight league title, the Mountaineers open up the conference schedule on October 4 with a showdown at Regis College, a rematch of the last two conference championship matches.

Regis picked up three first place votes in the preseason poll en route to a second-place ranking while Newbury grabbed the final top selection, being chosen to finish third. Daniel Webster College and Lesley University round out the top five at fourth and fifth, respectively.

2014 NECC Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Southern Vermont - (5)

2. Regis College - (3)

3. Newbury College - (1)

4. Daniel Webster College

5. Lesley University

6. Mitchell College

7. Elms College

8. Becker College

9. Bay Path University

(Parentheses denote first place votes)