The Juniata women's volleyball team was once again picked first in the Landmark Conference preseason coaches poll after being ranked 17th in the AVCA preseason coaches poll
The team features 13 returners from the previous season (including five starters and the libero) led by AVCA first team All-American, AVCA Region Player of the Year, and Landmark Conference Player of the Year Marybeth Weihbrecht (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley). Joining her is first-team all-region selection and Landmark Conference first-teamer Katie Byrne (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck), AVCA all-region honorable mention and Landmark Conference second teamer Victoria Taylor (Middletown, Del./Delaware Military Academy), Landmark Conference second teamer Morgan Edwards (Lancaster, Pa. / Penn Manor), and Landmark Conference second teamer Alyssa Tavera (Whittier, Calif. / La Salle H.S.).
"We're going to challenge this this group with our first three weekends," said head coach Heather Pavlik. "We will have to come out playing at a very high-level right from the beginning as we face off against some of the best teams in the country each weekend. We were fairly young last season so we have a fairly experienced group that we think will be able to rise to the challenge.
They open their season against Stevens at the 2018 Bomber Invitational hosted by Ithaca College.
2018 Landmark Volleyball Preseason Poll
() indicates first-place votes
1. Juniata – 60 points (6)
2. Scranton – 50 points (1)
3. Susquehanna – 40 points
T4. Moravian – 24 points
T4. Elizabethtown – 24 points
6. Catholic – 21 points
7. Goucher – 12 points