BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — West Florida was tabbed as the favorite in the 2024 Gulf South Conference volleyball preseason poll.
The poll and preseason team were voted by the GSC head coaches who could not vote for their team or student-athletes.
The Argonauts collected 99 total points and nine of a possible 10 first-place votes as they topped the preseason predictions for the 13th time since the 2010 season.
Alabama Huntsville, last season’s tournament runner-up, was picked second with 90 points and one first-place vote. Valdosta State was selected third with 69 points. Trailing by one-point in fourth was Mississippi College who garnered one first-place vote. Montevallo rounded out the top five with 66 points.
This year’s preseason team featured nine student-athletes from six schools, with seven have earned All-GSC postseason accolades last season. West Florida led all teams with three preseason selections. Meanwhile, the 2024 Newcomer Watchlist features 20 names from eight schools.
The 2024 campaign marks the 43rd season of GSC volleyball and the debut of Trevecca Nazarene in the Gulf South Conference. Teams will play a double-round robin conference schedule that will comprise of 20 matches over eight weeks.
For the second consecutive season, GSC volleyball will be streamed exclusively on FloVolleyball. Fans who subscribe here can lock in a special GSC price, and those who use an .edu email from a GSC member school can save even more on monthly or annual subscriptions.
The season begins Thursday, Sept. 5, while conference play is slated to start Tuesday, Sept. 24. The GSC Volleyball Championship is set for Nov. 19-24. To see the full schedule, click here.
GSC Volleyball Coaches Preseason Poll
1. West Florida (9) – 99 points
2. Alabama Huntsville (1) – 90 points
3. Valdosta State – 69 points
4. Mississippi College (1) – 68 points
5. Montevallo – 66 points
6. Trevecca Nazarene – 57 points
7. Auburn Montgomery – 51 points
8. Lee – 43 points
9. Union – 30 points
10. West Alabama – 21 points
11. Christian Brothers – 11 points
First-place votes in parenthesis ( )
GSC Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team
Autumn Mayes, OH, Sr., Alabama Huntsville*
Savannah Rutledge, S, Sr., Alabama Huntsville^
Lydia Paulette, OH, Sr., Mississippi College*
Emma Titus, OH/RS, Sr., Trevecca Nazarene
Jordan Moore, MH, Sr., Union^
Christina Pettigrew, MB, Sr., Valdosta State*
Meg Brackhan, DS/L, Sr., West Florida^
Gabi Moulton, S, So., West Florida
Jenna Zydlo, MH, Sr., West Florida^
Players listed alphabetically by school
* 2023 First Team All-GSC
^ 2023 Second Team All-GSC
| GSC Volleyball Newcomer Watchlist |
| Ashleigh Murr |
Alabama Huntsville |
S |
Gr. |
5-7 |
Dallas, Texas/Lipscomb |
| Emily Redden |
Alabama Huntsville |
OH |
Fr. |
5-10 |
Chattanooga, Tenn./Signal Mountain HS |
| Haley Strawser |
Alabama Huntsville |
DS |
Fr. |
5-8 |
Wesley Chapel, Fla./Wiregrass Ranch HS |
| Sofia Cerbuch |
Auburn Montgomery |
MB |
Jr. |
6-2 |
Trieste, Italy/Iowa Western CC |
| Carly Cooper |
Auburn Montgomery |
DS/L |
Jr. |
5-8 |
Fort Walton Beach, Fla./Pensacola State College |
| Payton Danley |
Lee |
MH/OPP |
Fr. |
6-0 |
Buford, Ga./Buford HS |
| Izzy Denton |
Lee |
DS/L |
Jr. |
5-3 |
Panama City, Fla./Gulf Coast State College (Fla.) |
| Berra Soyler |
Lee |
S |
So. |
5-11 |
Bursa, Turkey/Nicholls State |
| Ava Antonaros |
Mississippi College |
OH |
Fr. |
5-10 |
Madison, Miss./Jackson Academy |
| Samarin Kipple |
Mississippi College |
DS/L |
So. |
5-7 |
Pilot Mountain, N.C./Birmingham-Southern College |
| Reese Regner |
Mississippi College |
S/RS |
Fr. |
5-8 |
Collierville, Tenn./St. George's Independent School |
| Nikol Antova |
Montevallo |
OH |
Fr. |
6-0 |
Vidin, Bulgaria/North Cobb HS |
| Blakeley Robbins |
Montevallo |
S/OPP |
Fr. |
5-11 |
Daphne, Ala./Bayside Academy |
| Ava Wind |
Montevallo |
DS/L |
Fr. |
5-6 |
Leander, Texas/Glenn HS |
| Addison Cunnagin |
Trevecca Nazarene |
OH/RS |
Fr. |
6-1 |
Somerset, Ky./Somerset Christian HS |
| Lily Vanbebber |
Trevecca Nazarene |
DS/L |
Fr. |
5-7 |
Lake Winnebago, Mo./St. Michael the Archangel HS |
| Carleigh Charles |
Union |
OH |
Fr. |
6-0 |
Nolensville, Tenn./Independence HS |
| Hannah Hamill |
Union |
OPP/MB |
S0. |
5-11 |
Sunshine Coast, Australia/St. Johns River State College (Fla.) |
| Sarah-Kate Savage |
Union |
DS/L |
Fr. |
5-6 |
Murfreesboro, Tenn./Rockvale HS |
| Avery Mullins |
Valdosta State |
S |
R-Fr. |
5-8 |
Cary, N.C./West Virginia State |
Players listed alphabetically by school
Submitted by head coaches