Dover, Del. (Aug. 17, 2022) --- Delaware State is expected to make a strong bid for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference volleyball regular season title in the 2022 season, according to a poll of league head coaches and sports information representatives announced today. The Hornets have been picked to finish second in the eight-team race, trailing only defending champ Howard in the poll.
Delaware State received four of a possible 16 first place votes and 109 total points, while preseason favorite Howard tallied nine first place votes and 118 total points.
The Hornets and Bison shared the 2021 MEAC regular season title, but Howard defeated Delaware State 3-1 in the conference tournament final match in Washington, D.C., to capture its sixth league title in the last seven years.
Last season, the Hornets competed in the MEAC championship match for the first time since 2010 and was selected to the field of a national championship tournament  (National Invitational Volleyball Championship) for the first time in team history during the 2021 campaign.   
In addition, the Hornets were a perfect 13-0 at home and 11-1 vs. non-conference teams during the regular season, while also establishing new team highs for MEAC wins (12), longest win streak (16) and shutout wins (20). Delaware State ended the  2021 regular season as the MEAC leader in kills, hitting percentage, opponents hitting percentage and assists.
Coppin State is third in the 2022 MEAC volleyball preseason poll with two first place votes and 103 points.
The MEAC also announced its 2022 volleyball preseason individual honors today.
Middle blocker Alondra Maldonado (jr.; Patillas, Puerto Rico) is the only Delaware State player on the Preseason All-MEAC Team. A 2021 All-MEAC First Team selection, Maldonado was second in the league in kills at 3.15 per set, seventh in hitting percentage (.298) , and ninth in blocks (0.76 per set) last season.
Coppin State's Miajavon Coleman was the voters' choice for 2022 MEAC Preseason Player-of-the Year.
The Hornets open the 2022 season at the Youngstown State Invitational Aug. 26 & 27. The home opener is Aug. 31 against Manhattan.
Delaware State will host a four-team tournament on Sep. 2-3 in Memorial Hall on the university's main campus. The tournament field will also include Loyola (Md.), Hartford and Quinnipiac.  
 
2022 Delaware State volleyball schedule link:
https://dsuhornets.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule
 
MEAC Volleyball homepage
https://meacsports.com/sports/wvball

 
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
School (First-Place Votes)              Points
2. Howard (9)                                     118
2. Delaware State (4)                         109
3. Coppin State (2)                             103
4. North Carolina Central                   70
5. Maryland Eastern Shore                63
6. Norfolk State (1)                             60
7. Morgan State                                  37
8. South Carolina State                      16