Aug. 18, 2003

FAIRFAX, VA...George Mason's women's volleyball team, the defending Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA) Champion, was a unanimous choice to retain its conference title in 2003, according to a poll of the league's head coaches.

The Patriots received all seven possible first-place votes in the preseason survey, which was released today by the league office, because coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

Mason head coach Pat Kendrick, the 2002 conference coach of the year, returns four starters and six letterwinners from last year's team that went 22-8 (14-2 in the CAA) and made the program's fifth NCAA Tournament appearance.

Highlighting the returning players is senior outside hitter Aline Pereira, the conference player of the year the past two seasons. Pereira led the nation with 6.58 kills per game last season and has been a first-team All-CAA selection in each of her three previous seasons at Mason. Additional returning starters are junior Jesica Umansky, the 2002 CAA Setter of the Year and a first-team All-CAA honoree, sophomore Natalia Porosa, a member of the 2002 CAA All-Tournament Team, and senior Milena Racic.

Mason's 22 wins a season ago were the most for the Patriots since 1996, and the team finished the campaign ranked sixth in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) East Region. Mason opens the 2003 season by hosting its annual Brion's Grille/Doubletree Patriot Invitation Aug. 29-30.

James Madison was second in the poll, followed by Hofstra, Towson, William & Mary, Delaware, Virginia Commonwealth and UNC Wilmington.

The complete 2003 CAA Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll:
1. George Mason (7 first-place votes), 49
2. James Madison (1 first-place vote), 38
3. Hofstra, 37
4. Towson, 31
5. William & Mary, 24
6. Delaware, 23
7. Virginia Commonwealth, 15
8. UNC Wilmington, 7