BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Colgate volleyball team claimed the top spot in the 2021 Patriot League preseason poll with 115 points and eight first-place votes, when it was announced by the League office on Wednesday.
American earned the second position in the poll with 113 points and three first-place votes, while Army West Point tallied seven first-place votes and recorded 112 points for third place. Navy placed fourth with 85 points, followed by Loyola Maryland with 58 points to round out the top five. Holy Cross tallied 50 points for sixth place, followed by Lehigh (48), Lafayette (39) and Bucknell (28).
Raiders’ graduate student outside hitter Alli Lowe earned preseason player of the year after being named the 2020-21 Patriot League Volleyball Player of the Year.
Army and Colgate both placed two student-athletes on the preseason All-League team, while American, Lafayette and Loyola Maryland had one honoree each. Lowe was joined by teammate and the 2020-21 setter of the year, Julia Kurowski on the preseason squad, while Black Knights sophomores’ middle blocker Paige Fixemer and right side Allanah Cutler earned a spot. American junior outside hitter Zeynep Uzen, Lafayette senior outside hitter Leanna Deegan and the 2020-21 Patriot League Setter of the Year Loyola senior libero Katie Forsythe rounded out the seven-member team.
Five of the seven preseason all-league members were named to the 2020-21 Patriot League Volleyball first- or second- All-Patriot League teams, with four on the first team and one on the second team. Lowe, Kurowski, Deegan, and Forsythe nabbed 2020-21 first-team laurels, while Fixemer earned second-team honors.
The preseason poll and individual awards were voted on by the volleyball coaches and sports information directors from each institution, with restrictions on voting for their team and student-athletes.
2021 Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year
Alli Lowe, Colgate, Gr., Outside Hitter, Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville
* Lowe, the 2020-21 player of the year, finished her senior season averaging 4.34 kills (165 total) and 2.08 digs (79 digs) per set to help pace the Raiders to an 8-2 overall record.
* She also averaged a team-high of 0.32 aces per set for 12 total aces, to go along with 15 total blocks (four solo, 11 assisted).
* Last season, Lowe ranked third in the Patriot League and 24th in the nation in kills per set.
* Lowe is a two-time Patriot League Player of the Year (’19, ’20-21) and a three-time first-team All-Patriot League team member (’17, ’19, ’20-21).
* She was a second-team All-Patriot League honoree in 2018 after earning rookie of the year in 2017.
2021 Patriot League Volleyball Preseason All-League Team
Zeynep Uzen, American, Jr., OH
Paige Fixemer, Army West Point, So., MB
Allanah Cutler, Army West Point, So., RS
Alli Lowe, Colgate, Gr., OH
Julia Kurowski, Colgate, Sr., S
Leanna Deegan, Lafayette, Sr., OH
Katie Forsythe, Loyola Maryland, Sr., L
2021 Patriot League Volleyball Player of the Year: Alli Lowe, Colgate, Gr., OH
2021 Patriot League Volleyball Preseason Poll
Colgate – 115 (8 first-place votes)
American – 113 (3)
Army West Point – 112 (7)
Navy – 85
Loyola Maryland – 58
Holy Cross – 50
Lehigh – 48
Lafayette – 39
Bucknell – 28
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.