LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University volleyball team was picked to finish seventh in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division as announced in the PSAC Preseason Coaches Poll released by the league office Monday. Volleyball Captains

California (Pa.), winners of three consecutive PSAC championships, was tabbed to win the PSAC-West with three first-place votes followed by Clarion, Gannon, Edinboro, Mercyhurst, Indiana (Pa.) and Slippery Rock. Clarion received two first place votes while both Gannon and Edinboro collected one.

Lock Haven is looked at as the favorite in the PSAC-East with seven first-place votes. West Chester was slotted second with Shippensburg, Kutztown, East Stroudsburg, Millersville and Cheyney rounding out the division.

SRU recorded a 7-25 record in 2009, which was just the first losing season for The Rock since 2002.

Head coach Laurie Lokash is back for her 27th year at the helm of SRU. Lokash will be coaching 12 returnees including last season's leaders in kills, assists, digs and blocks. Eight freshmen will also be making their Slippery Rock debuts this season.

Junior Kaylee Smith highlights the returning outside hitters. Smith was one of two SRU players to appear in every match last season. The Munice, Ind. native led Slippery Rock, and was sixth in the PSAC, with 342 kills. Smith, who has appeared in every match during her SRU career, was also second on the team last year in both aces (41) and digs (363).

Kristin Slavoski, a junior, made key contributions for The Rock in 2009 as a reserve who appeared in 29 matches. Her kill percentage of .198 was the second highest on the squad of any player who had at least 100 attacks. Slavoski also totaled 176 kills and 27 total blocks. Fellow junior Alee Kromer played in 27 matches and compiled 108 kills and 14 blocks.

A pair of returning sophomores will also look to help SRU pick up wins in 2010 as both Hannah McShea and Lexi Arnold are back for their second seasons. McShea made an immediate impact as a freshman when she was responsible for 190 kills. McShea's 3.28 kills per set was a team-high. Arnold played in 15 matches last season and ended the year with 56 kills, 18 assists and 10 blocks.

After decorated prep careers, Miranda Gray, Caroline Houston, Lauren Rojek and Kayla Woo will also be vying for playing time as freshmen in 2010.

Also making her SRU debut this year in the front row will be sophomore opposite Sarah Cadwallader.

Senior Anna Bixler will see time as both a defensive specialist and a setter for SRU. Bixler played in 31 matches a season ago and handed out a team-best 525 assists while also serving up 23 aces.

Natalie Chieffallo and Morgan Olson, a pair of freshmen, made the All-WPIAL team as high school seniors out of Blackhawk and Morgan-Jefferson respectively and will enter SRU this year as defensive specialists.

In addition to Bixler, senior Kim Wilson will help handle setting duties for The Rock. Last year, Wilson appeared in all 32 matches and finished second on the team with 511 assists.

Freshman Alexandra Fleagle is also on the squad as a setter.

A solid group of five players comprise SRU's middle this fall. After a standout junior campaign, senior Keira Peoples will look to end her career on a high-note. Last year, Peoples led Slippery Rock with 89 total blocks, 32 of which were solo. Peoples also provided 153 kills.

Senior Alex Heller played in four matches last season and had career-highs of nine kills, four digs, two assists and one block.

Junior Lisa Bakaitis and sophomore Hayley Wilson made the most out of their limited appearances in 2009. Bakaitis played in six matches and produced 17 kills and 16 blocks while Wilson was a force on defense with 21 blocks.

Rounding out Slippery Rock's middle is freshman Alissa Kelty. The Canfield alum brings another winning pedigree to the SRU program. Kelty was part of back-to-back sectional championship teams at Canfield.

SRU will face a daunting schedule in 2010 as 16 of its 23 opponents posted a winning record in 2009, finishing with a combined mark of 458-312 (.594). Eight of the schools would advance to the 2009 NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championship.

Slippery Rock will play in 12 matches before opening up its home schedule on Sept. 24 against Indiana (Pa.) as SRU opens the season with four matches at the Oredigger Classic in Golden, Colo. followed by a showdown with Wheeling Jesuit University. From there, SRU will take part in the Point Park Tournament and the first of two PSAC Crossover events on the season.

In addition to the second PSAC Crossover and home/away meetings with its PSAC-West rivals, Slippery Rock will also take part in non-conference matches against Alderson-Broaddus and Fairmont State during the regular season.

The season will officially begin for Slippery Rock Sept. 3 at the Oredigger Classic against Southwest Minnesota State University at 1 p.m.

2010 PSAC Volleyball Preseason Poll
(First-place votes in parenthesis)

Eastern Division
1. Lock Haven (7)
2. West Chester
3. Shippensburg
4. Kutztown
T5. East Stroudsburg
T5. Millersville
7. Cheyney

Western Division
1. California (3)
2. Clarion (2)
3. Gannon (1)
4. Edinboro (1)
5. Mercyhurst
6. IUP
7. Slippery Rock