NORFOLK, Va. – Florida A&M sophomore outside hitter Pamela Soriano was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year, the conference announced today. Howard University was predicted to win the Northern Division, while Florida A&M University was chosen to claim the Southern Division. All awards are voted on by the conference’s head volleyball coaches and sports information directors.

Howard garnered 18-first place votes to receive the first-place ranking. The Lady Bison registered a 20-11 overall record last season, including an 11-1 MEAC mark under the direction of the 2014 MEAC Coach of the Year Shaun Kupferberg. All-MEAC Second Team honoree Khaila Donaldson returns for her sophomore season after leading the team in kills (393) and points (467). Katherine Broussard, the 2013 MEAC Rookie of the Year, registered 318 digs and 227 kills.

Florida A&M received 22 first-place votes and posted a 9-1 record in the Southern Division and 13-15 overall finish last year.  The Lady Rattlers will be anchored by Soriano and 2014 All-MEAC First Team middle blocker Ginna Lopez-Chavez. Soriano, the 2014 MEAC Rookie of the Year, ranked second in the conference and 31^st in the NCAA in kills per set (4.25), and second in the MEAC and 39^th nationally in points per set (4.73). Lopez-Chavez ranked fourth in the MEAC in hitting percentage (.304) and fifth in blocks per set (0.90) and was selected to the preseason team.

Coppin State was picked to finish second in the Northern Division. The Lady Eagles return three starters, including All-MEAC First Team outside hitter Cindy Okpegbue and All-MEAC Third Time setter Chelsee Sauni, as the Lady Eagles are picked to finish second in the Northern Division. Okpegbue, an All-MEAC preseason selection, led the team in kills (418) and points per set (3.77) last season. Sauni, also an All-MEAC preseason honoree, tied for first in the MEAC in assists at 10.30 per set.

Back-to-back MEAC Tournament champions, Hampton, were picked third in the Northern Division, followed by Morgan State and Maryland Eastern Shore at fourth and fifth. Norfolk State and Delaware State were voted sixth and seventh to round out the division.

Bethune-Cookman returns all six starters from last season to earn the second-place preseason ranking in the Southern Division. The Lady Wildcats are led by All-MEAC preseason setter Hazel Ortiz-Rosado and libero Normarie Rolon. Ortiz-Rosado ranked seventh nationally and first in the MEAC in service aces per set (0.48), and seventh in the conference in assists per set (7.93). Rolon placed fifth last season in digs per set (3.42).

North Carolina A&T State’s Ashley Johnson was selected to the All-MEAC preseason team as the Aggies were chosen to finish third in the Southern Division.

North Carolina Central and South Carolina State were predicted to finish fourth and fifth, while Savannah State was slated at sixth.

Conference play begins on Friday, Sept. 25 with 12 teams in action. The 2015 MEAC Volleyball Championship will be held Nov. 20-22 at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md.