The Old Westbury women's volleyball team was tabbed to finish fifth in the nine-member Skyline Conference, while the men's soccer team was picked to finish eighth out of ten teams competing in the Skyline. Both the 2006 women's volleyball and men's soccer preseason polls are voted on by the league's head coaches and were released by the conference office today.
The Panthers volleyball squad saw its best season in school history during the 2005 campaign, shattering the school record with 21 wins. Led by second year Head Coach Marjahna Segers, the team finished fourth in the conference standings, earning a berth into the Skyline Playoffs for the first time.
Whitney Alexander and Jennifer Ragone both received Second Team All-Skyline Honors, after leading the team in almost all offensive categories and will return to the court this season. Alexander dominated after making a switch to the outside and led Old Westbury in kills (307), kills per game (3.10) and attacking percentage (.252). Ragone, the team's setter, finished fourth in the Skyline in assists per game (6.87) and was fifth in the nation and second in the league with 1.21 service aces per game. The Panthers return several other key players from last year who, with an additional year under their belts, are expected to continue to improve.
The men's soccer team finished the 2005 season with a 5-11-1 overall record. Despite finishing 10th last season, the improvements made on the field by Jason Warshaw's young team were noted, resulting in a two-spot jump in the preseason poll this year.
Defensively, goalkeeper Brian Hicks returns as a junior this season. Last year, he led the conference and was ninth in the Nation in Saves per Game (8.38 saves per game) and was selected as Old Westbury's Male Student-Athlete of the Year. Also returning from last year's team are Shawn Holland, who was in the top-10 in the league in goals per game, and John Senatore, who was in the top-10 in the league in assists per game.
Stevens Institute swept this year's preseason polls, earning the No. 1 spot on the men's soccer, women's soccer, women's tennis and women's volleyball polls. Last season the Ducks won the men's soccer, women's soccer and volleyball titles and was the runner-up in women's tennis, but was picked to edge out defending champion Manhattanville.