DALLAS – WKU was selected as the 2022 preseason favorite in Conference USA by the league’s 11 head coaches. The Hilltoppers’ fifth year middle hitter
Lauren Matthews was chosen as the C-USA Preseason Player of the Year.
WKU (28-2 overall last season), the three-time defending C-USA tournament champion, is ranked No. 21 in the preseason AVCA poll. WKU has now been ranked in the Top 25 for 39 straight weeks. The Hilltoppers return four starters from a squad that has compiled three straight undefeated seasons against conference opponents. WKU earned both the C-USA East Division title and C-USA Championship title last season, with only two losses (one regular season to Ole Miss, and Georgia Tech in the NCAA Tournament). WKU came in at No. 20 in the final AVCA poll last season.
Rice (20-7 overall last season), picked to finish second, is receiving votes in the preseason AVCA poll. The Owls won the C-USA West Division with a 12-0 conference record last year and earned an NCAA Tournament at-large bid for a third straight season.
Matthews was named the Alyssa Cavanaugh C-USA Player of the Year last season for the second time in her career (also won the award in 2019) and received first team All-Conference USA honors for the third time. She became the first WKU player to ever land on an AVCA All-American team multiple times in her career, earning AVCA third team All-America honors last season (second team and honorable mention in previous seasons). She was the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 and earned C-USA Tournament MVP honors twice. Matthews played in all 97 sets last season, averaging 4.54 kills per set, which ranked 14th in the nation (3rd in C-USA). She was the NCAA Volleyball national leader in hitting percentage with a .480 mark on the season, a new WKU program record. Matthews recorded 123 total blocks and 519 total points, leading the league in both categories. She compiled 15 or more kills in 14 matches and posted 10 matches with five or more blocks. Matthews was also named an alternate to the 2022 U.S. Women's Collegiate National Team.
C-USA teams will compete in a single division this season with the top eight teams qualifying for the 2022 C-USA Volleyball Championship. WKU will host the single-elimination tournament November 18-20 in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
2022 Conference USA Preseason Team
Emani' Foster, Charlotte, Jr., OH
Amani McArthur, Charlotte, Sr., MB
Marley Banton, Middle Tennessee, Sr., DS
Anota Adekunle, Rice, 5Sr., MB
Ellie Bichelmeyer, Rice, Sr., OH
Carly Graham, Rice, 5Sr., S
Fernanda Maida, UAB, Sr., OH/RS
Alianza Darley, UTEP, Sr., OH/MB
Serena Patterson, UTEP, Gr., OH
Paige Briggs, WKU, Sr., OH
Katie Isenbarger, WKU, 5Sr., MH
Lauren Matthews, WKU, 5Sr., MH
2022 C-USA Preseason Player of the Year
Lauren Matthews, WKU, Gr., MH
C-USA 2022 Preseason Poll
1. WKU (9)
2. Rice (2)
3. UTEP
4. Charlotte
5. North Texas
6. UAB
7. FIU
8. Middle Tennessee
9. UTSA
10. Florida Atlantic
11. Louisiana Tech
(First-place votes in parentheses)