IRVING, Texas – UCF, the four-time defending American Athletic Conference champion, was named the unanimous favorite in the 2022 American Athletic Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches.
The Knights were named the favorites after receiving all 10 first-place votes from the league's other coaches, earning the maximum 100 points. Houston was the runner-up in the preseason poll with 88 points, followed by Cincinnati in third place with 77 points. Wichita State (one first-place vote) finished with 74 points, while SMU rounded out the top five with 71 points. Tulsa (51), Tulane (39), Memphis (33), East Carolina (32), South Florida (22) and Temple (18) rounded out the predicted order of finish.
For a third straight season, UCF outside hitter McKenna Melville has been tabbed the unanimous Preseason Player of the Year. The graduate student led the nation with 701 points (5.61 points per set) and 617 kills (4.94 kills per set) last season. Melville is the two-time reigning American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American.
Eight of the twelve members of the 2021 All-American Athletic Conference First Team were named to the 2022 Preseason All-Conference Team. Five of the members were unanimous selections – McKenna Melville (UCF), senior outside hitter Abbie Jackson (Houston), senior middle blocker Rachel Tullos (Houston), senior outside hitter Rachel Woulfe (SMU) and redshirt-junior outside hitter Brylee Kelly (Wichita State). Houston led all programs with four selections on the preseason team, while UCF and Wichita State both had three
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team in the preseason poll or their own student-athletes for the individual honors.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
| 1. |
UCF (10) |
100 |
| 2. |
Houston |
88 |
| 3. |
Cincinnati |
77 |
| 4. |
Wichita State (1) |
74 |
| 5. |
SMU |
71 |
| 6. |
Tulsa |
51 |
| 7. |
Tulane |
39 |
| 8. |
Memphis |
33 |
| 9. |
East Carolina |
32 |
| 10. |
South Florida |
22 |
| 11. |
Temple |
18 |
Preseason Player of the Year
McKenna Melville, Gr., OH, UCF*
Preseason All-Conference Team
Claudia Dillon, Sr., MB, UCF
Amber Olson, Gr., S, UCF
McKenna Melville, Gr., OH, UCF*
Abby Walker, So., MB/RS, Cincinnati
Annie Cooke, Jr., S, Houston
Kate Georgiades, Jr., L, Houston
Abbie Jackson, Sr., OH, Houston*
Rachel Tullos, Sr., MB, Houston*
Rachel Woulfe, Sr., OH, SMU*
Kayley Cassaday, Sr., OH, Tulsa
Natalie Foster, So., MB, Wichita State
Brylee Kelly, R-Jr., OH, Wichita State*
Kayce Litzau, Jr., S, Wichita State
* denotes unanimous selection