CNE RELEASE

BEVERLY, Mass. – Just over a week away from its first match of the 2024 season, Suffolk volleyball was predicted to finish fourth in the league standings according to the Conference of New England's Preseason Coaches' Poll, which was unveiled by the league office Friday afternoon.  

Suffolk picked up 65 points to finish fourth, one point shy of third, which was locked up by Western New England.  

The 10 first place nods were evenly divided between Endicott and Wentworth. The Gulls edged out the Leopards for the top spot with 95 points, while the Rams' fellow Beantown resident had 93 points.  

Gordon rounded out the top five with 61 points. Roger Williams and the University of New England shared sixth with 46 points apiece.  

The bottom of the preseason projections in order were Hartford (44), who is now eligible for conference postseason play, Nichols (23) and Curry (11).  

It is the second straight season and third time in program history that the blue-and-gold was selected in the conference's preseason top five. A year ago, Suffolk made history with a second-place pick and first emerged in a league's preseason top five in 2019 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). All three historic preseason rankings have come under head coach Scott Blanchard's guidance.  

Suffolk's line-up is nearly identical from last season's squad that went 16-14 overall and made a conference semifinal run for the second consecutive campaign. Three-time all-league performer and the Rams' all-time kills leader McKenna Keowen (2.76 kps, 3.19 dps) anchors the returners that also includes defensive specialist Morgan Kelsey (4.03), setter Jayla Martinez (5.51 assists per set) and middle blockers Grace Cervenka (1.69 kps, 0.74 bps) and Sami Shore (1.78 kps, 0.83 bps). 

Suffolk volleyball will get its 2024 underway at the RWU Invitational Saturday, Aug. 31 where it will face New England College and Western Connecticut in Bristol, Rhode Island.