United Volleyball Conference | 1/5/2022 11:44:07 AM

Vassar College, the defending United Volleyball Conference (UVC) Champions, tops the 2022 UVC Preseason Coaches Poll, released on Wednesday, Jan. 5. The poll was voted on by all eight UVC head coaches.

Vassar earned 46 points in the preseason poll and received six of the eight first-place votes. The Brewers knocked off 2019 UVC and NCAA National Champion New Paltz in four sets in the 2021 UVC title game en route to its third NCAA Tournament Appearance. Vassar opens the season on Jan. 22 versus Sacred Heart and Daemen.

New Paltz, the 2017 and 2019 NCAA Division III National Champions is picked to finish tied for second in the 2022 UVC Preseason poll with 38 points and one first place vote after advancing to the UVC Championship match last spring. NYU also earned 38 total points as they are picked to finish tied for second in the 2022 league standings. The Violets did not compete in 2021 due to COVID-19 but were ranked as high as No. 2 nationally in 2020, finishing the season 13-3.
 
St. John Fisher garnered the other first place vote and is projected to finish fourth in the UVC Preseason poll with 36 points, while MIT is picked to finish fifth, having earned 28 points. The Cardinals were ranked as high as sixth nationally last spring, while MIT returns after opting out of the 2021 season due to COVID-19. The Engineers finished 17-4 in 2020 and were nationally-ranked.
 
Nazareth, who was nationally-ranked last spring, received 20 points and is projected to place sixth in the preseason poll voting. Elmira (13) and Bard (7) round out the 2022 UVC Preseason Poll.
 
Regular season play begins on Jan. 14-15 and league play begins on Feb. 2. The six-team 2022 UVC Championship will take place from April 8-10 at the site of the regular season champion.
 
2022 UVC Preseason Poll – Points (First Place Votes)
1. Vassar – 46 points (6 first place votes)
2T. New Paltz – 38 points (1)
2T. New York University – 38 points
4. St. John Fisher – 36 points (1)
5. MIT – 28 points
6. Nazareth – 20 points
7. Elmira – 13 points
8. Bard – 7 points
 
ABOUT THE UNITED VOLLEYBALL CONFERENCE
The members of the United Volleyball Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices.

For more on the UVC visit www.theuvc.org