Volleyball ranks fifth in MAC Freedom preseason poll

Annville, PA (August 23, 2024) – The DeSales University volleyball team was ranked fifth in the MAC Freedom preseason poll, released Friday morning by the conference office and voted on by the eight MAC Freedom coaches.

The Bulldogs scored 28 points overall, five points behind fourth-place Arcadia with 33 points. Stevens took first place with all seven first-place votes and 49 total points, while Lebanon Valley took second place with 40 points. Misericordia was third with 35 points.

DeSales finished the 2023 season with a 12-17 overall record and 4-3 in the MAC Freedom, finishing fifth in the standings and missing the postseason due to tiebreakers.


DSU returns senior Samantha Worontzoff after a season in which she was named to the All-MAC First-Team. She had a stellar season for the Bulldogs last season, finishing with 145 kills and a .165 hitting percentage despite missing 1/3 of the season due to injury. She led DSU with an average of 0.91 blocks per set and totaled 71 blocks on the year.


The Bulldogs also return with experienced middle attackers Paige Lewis And Shannon McDevitt. Lewis appeared in 27 games and 80 sets last season, totaling 87 kills and a .144 batting average for the season. She ranked third on the team with 56 blocks and an average of 0.70 blocks per set. McDevitt returns from a season-ending injury last year. She is a two-time all-conference player who has 386 kills, a .259 batting average and 163 blocks in her career, which ranks 16th.^th of all time in team history.


The DSU will welcome many new faces to the team this year: 17 new players, 13 of whom are freshmen.


Head Coach Michele Zabinski enters her 20th season with a career record of 337-245 (.581). She is DeSales' all-time winningest player and the only coach with over 200 career wins. Zabinski has been named MAC Freedom Coach of the Year five times and has led the Bulldogs to the MAC Freedom postseason in 16 of her 18 years on the sidelines.

The Bulldogs open the season with a Home Invitational on August 30^th and 31^stwhich includes three games. The MAC Freedom game begins on September 25^th with a home game against Lebanon Valley College.

MAC Freedom Preseason Poll (Top Place Votes)
1 – Stevens – 49 points (7)
2. Lebanon Valley – 40 points
3 – Misericordia – 35 points
4 – Arcadia – 33 points

5 – DeSales – 28 points
6 – Delaware Valley – 14 points
7 – King’s – 13 points
8 – FDU-Florham – 12 points