Volleyball Selected Fourth In Preseason ACC Poll

Aug. 8, 2007

GREENSBORO, NC – The Clemson volleyball team was picked to finish fourth in the preseason ACC poll, as voted upon by the head coaches of the league’s 12 member institutions and announced by the conference office on Wednesday, Aug. 8. The Tigers were also one of just two teams to place three student-athletes on the preseason All-ACC team, as Jeannette Abbott, Danielle Hepburn and Didem Ege each earned the accolade.

Clemson and head coach Jolene Jordan Hoover return all six starters, as well as starting libero Ege, for the 2007 season. With a 20-10 overall record and a 15-7 ACC mark, the 2006 squad ranked third in the conference, the Tigers’ best finish since 1999. Overall, 11 letterwinners are back for the upcoming season while three freshmen will join the program.

Junior All-Americans Jeannette Abbott and Danielle Hepburn were named to the preseason All-ACC team after earning first-team selections in 2006. Both players were also first-team AVCA All-Region honorees. Abbott, an outside hitter from Downers Grove, IL, led the conference with a 4.40 kills per game average in 2006. She also holds the school career record for the statistic in only two seasons and is just 72 kills away from becoming just the 15th player in program history to post at least 1,000 kills.

A native of Miami, FL, Hepburn set a school record for blocks assists in a single season last year with 158. She also became the first player in program history to rank first in the ACC in multiple statistical categories, as she owned league-best figurers for blocks per game and hitting percentage. Hepburn is Clemson’s career leader in blocks per game with a 1.47 average and already ranks 10th in the annuals with 278 career block assists.

Ege turned in an impressive freshman campaign in 2006, earning second-team All-ACC honors as well as a position on the ACC All-Freshman team. The native of Istanbul, Turkey set school freshman records for defensive saves in a single season and in a single match. Her 544 digs were also the third-most all-time and her 4.86 digs per game average ranked fourth in the league.

The Duke Blue Devils were chosen as the early favorite to win championship in 2007. Duke, led by 2006 ACC Coach of the Year Jolene Nagel, returns 11 lettermen from last year’s 29-4 squad, including reigning Player of the Year Ali Hausfeld, first-team all-conference performer Carrie DeMange and 2006 ACC Freshman of the Year Rachael Moss.

Coming in second with two first-place votes and 123 total points was Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets, led by Head Coach Bond Shymansky, return the bulk of a team that finished 20-12 last season and handed the ACC champion Blue Devils their only conference loss. Rounding out the top five are Virginia, Clemson and Florida State with 116, 113 and 95 points, respectively.

North Carolina (72), Virginia Tech (68), Wake Forest (65), Maryland (51), Miami (45), Boston College (32) and NC State (14) make up the rest of the list, claiming spots six through 12.

2007 Preseason All-ACC Volleyball PollSchool (First place votes), Points 1. Duke (10), 142 2. Georgia Tech (2), 123 3. Virginia, 1164. Clemson, 113 5. Florida State, 95 6. North Carolina, 72 7. Virginia Tech, 68 8. Wake Forest, 65 9. Maryland, 51 10. Miami, 45 11. Boston College, 32 12. NC State, 14

2007 Preseason All-ACC Volleyball Team Jeannette Abbott, Clemson; Brianna Barry, Florida State; Jade Brown, Maryland; Carrie DeMange, Duke; Danielle Hepburn, Clemson; Sarah Kirkwood, Virginia; Ciara Michel, Miami; Rachael Moss, Duke; Natalie Mullikin, Wake Forest; Katie Oakes, Virginia; Taylor Parrish, Virginia Tech; Jenny Shull, Duke; Ulrike Stegemann, Georgia Tech; Makini Thompson, Florida State.