LANCASTER, Pa. - The Ursinus College volleyball team was selected 10th in the Centennial Conference preseason poll which was announced on Monday. 

The Bears trail ninth place Dickinson (29) by just three points and eighth place Washington College (32) by six points. Leading the preseason poll with nine first place votes was Franklin & Marshall (98). Johns Hopkins (90) finished in second with two first place votes after winning the conference last season. 

Head coach Cecily Scavicchio will head into her third season after the team took a step forward last year, recording double-digit wins for the first time since 2014 and the most conference wins since 2012. 

Leading the Bears in 2019 will be senior setter Kelly Piotrowicz. Piotrowicz led the Bears in kills (182) and assists (394) last season while ranking second in digs (318) - all of which were career-highs. She recorded 10 double-doubles and six triple-doubles while putting down double-digit kills in six matches. 

On the defensive side, Grace Sullivan solidified herself as the team's libero in 2018. Sullivan led the team in digs with 353 which also ranked 10th in the Centennial Conference. She tallied 15 or more digs in nine games and recorded back-to-back 30-dig games.

Kaitlyn McGinley will also look to build off of a strong freshman season. The sophomore defensive specialist led freshmen on the team last season in digs (108) and recorded five or more digs in nine matches which included a season-high of 10 against Kings (Pa.). 

The Bears will being their season at Cabrini on August 30 with a double-header against Cabrini and Mt. Aloysius. The Bears home opener will take place four days later as they host Rutgers-Camden.