Aug. 22, 2006

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina’s volleyball team was picked fourth in the SEC Eastern Division on Tuesday in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll.

The Gamecocks were picked ahead of Georgia and were behind Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky. Florida was chosen as the overall SEC champion with eight votes, followed by LSU with two and Tennessee with one.

LSU was the preseason favorite to win the Western Division, followed by Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Auburn and Mississippi.

South Carolina returns nine letterwinners from a team that finished 13-14 in 2005 under then-first-year head coach Nancy Somera. The Gamecocks’ two All-SEC honorees from a year ago, outside hitters Shonda Cole and Marija Milosevic, are back in 2006 as well. Cole is a two-time member of the All-SEC Second Team, while Milosevic was on the inaugural All-Freshman Team last season.

The Gamecocks open the season at a tournament hosted by TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday against Boise State and the host Horned Frogs at 3:30 and 8:30 p.m. USC’s first home match is schedule for Friday, Sept. 8, when it hosts the Gamecock Invitational. South Carolina first plays St. John’s at 10 a.m. and Southern California at 8 p.m. in the Volleyball Competition Facility.

2006 SEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Eastern Division
Florida (10)
Tennessee (1)
Kentucky
South Carolina
Georgia

Western Division
LSU (8)
Alabama (2)
Arkansas (1)
Mississippi State
Auburn
Mississippi

Overall Champion: Florida (8), LSU (2), Tennessee (1)

First-place votes in parentheses