BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Colgate volleyball team claimed the top spot in the 2023 Patriot League preseason poll for the third-straight year with 126 points and 14 first-place votes when it was announced by the League office on Friday.
Army West Point earned the second position in the poll with 124 points and two first-place votes, while Navy tallied two first-place votes and recorded 98 points for third place. American placed fourth with 78 points, followed by Bucknell with 68 points to round out the top five. Loyola Maryland tallied 67 points for sixth place, followed by Lehigh (41), Lafayette (30), and Holy Cross (16).
American graduate student outside hitter Zeynep Uzen earned preseason player of the year for the second consecutive season after being named to the All-Patriot League First Team in 2022.
Bucknell junior libero Jordan Hardy received preseason libero of the year acclaim, while Navy senior setter Averi Miller earned preseason setter of the year. Both student-athletes earned All-Patriot League Second Team honors last season.
Navy led the way with three student-athletes on the preseason All-League team, while American, Army, Colgate and Loyola had one honoree each. Miller was joined by Navy seniors middle blocker Maggie Bodman and outside hitter Jordan Llewellyn on the preseason squad. Uzen, Army senior middle blocker Paige Fixemer, Colgate junior outside hitter Abby Shadwick and Loyola senior outside Lauren Link rounded out the seven-member team.
All seven preseason all-league members were named to the 2022 Patriot League Volleyball first or second All-Patriot League teams, with five on the first team and two on the second team. Uzen, Fixemer, Shadwick, Link, and Bodman nabbed first-team laurels, while Llewellyn and Miller earned second-team honors last season.
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.
2023 Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year
Zeynep Uzen, American, Gr., OH, Istanbul, Turkey/TED Istanbul College
* Uzen finished her senior season averaging 4.29 kills and 2.45 digs (225 digs) per set to help pace the Eagles last season.
* Uzen's kills per set mark and 4.75 points per set ranked second in the Patriot League last season.
* The graduate student ranks eighth at American in career kills with 1,252.
* Uzen was named preseason player of the year in 2022, rookie of the year in 2019 and is a three-time first-team All-Patriot League team member (2019, '21, '22).
2023 Patriot League Preseason Libero of the Year
Jordan Hardy, Bucknell, Jr., L,
Winter Park, Fla./Trinity Preparatory School
* Hardy was named to the All-Patriot League second team last year after leading the team and the League with 591 digs, which is second in Bucknell single-season history.
* The junior also led the Patriot League in digs per set (5.68) – good for fifth in NCAA DI.
* Hardy finished last season with 91 assists and a team-leading 30 aces.
2023 Patriot League Preseason Setter of the Year
Averi Miller, Navy, Sr., S,
Phoenix, Ariz./Veritas Prep
* The senior paced the team and Patriot League with 1,122 assists to go along with 205 digs, 48 block assists and 28 aces in 113 sets played in 2022.
* Miller's 9.93 assists per set ranked second in the League last season.
* Miller earned Second-Team All-Patriot League laurels last year.
2023 Patriot League Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year: Zeynep Uzen, American, Gr., OH
2023 Patriot League Volleyball Preseason Libero of the Year: Jordan Hardy, Bucknell, Jr., L
2023 Patriot League Volleyball Preseason Setter of the Year: Averi Miller, Navy, Sr., S
2023 Patriot League Volleyball Preseason All-League Team
Zeynep Uzen, American, Gr., OH
Paige Fixemer, Army West Point, Sr., MB
Abby Shadwick, Colgate, Jr., OH
Lauren Link, Loyola Maryland, Sr., OH
Maggie Bodman, Navy, Sr., MB
Jordan Llewellyn, Navy, Sr., OH
Averi Miller, Navy, Sr., S
2023 Patriot League Volleyball Preseason Poll
Colgate – 126 (14 first-place votes)
Army West Point – 124 (2)
Navy – 98 (2)
American – 78
Bucknell – 68
Loyola Maryland – 67
Lehigh – 41
Lafayette – 30
Holy Cross – 16
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.