NORTH BOSTON, N.Y. — Defending Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference champion Penn State Altoona women’s volleyball was predicted by league coaches to repeat as title winners this fall, as the Nittany Lions were voted into first place in the 2024 Preseason Coaches’ Poll, which was released on Aug. 22.

AMCC women’s volleyball coaches placed Penn State Altoona into the top spot in the poll, with Alfred State College coming in second place and Penn State Behrend being chosen third.

Penn State Altoona women’s volleyball put together a 16-11 overall record last season, including an 8-1 mark within the AMCC that gave the Lions the top seed in the conference postseason tournament. On its home court, the team rattled off comeback wins over La Roche University in the semifinal round and Alfred State in the championship match to win the program’s third-ever AMCC title. The championship victory also gave Penn State Altoona women’s volleyball its third NCAA Division III Tournament berth.

Bob Kasun enters his first season as the head coach of the women’s volleyball team, which welcomes back a deep and talented core of returners from last season. Highlighted in the preseason poll as “Players to Watch” for the Lions this year were libero Anna Batrus, of Altoona, and outside hitter Lia Simanski, of Altoona.

Batrus was a first-team All-AMCC pick last season, when she led the conference in digs, 550, and digs per set, 5.56. She also won AMCC Defensive Player of the Week honors a league-high six times.

Simanski was voted the AMCC Newcomer of the Year last fall while also being a second-team all-conference selection. She ranked seventh in the AMCC in kills, 269, and kills per set, 2.74, eighth in points, 299.0, and ninth in points per set, 3.1.

Penn State Altoona women’s volleyball opens its 2024 schedule in the Great Lakes Cross Over, hosted by Heidelberg University at Cedar Point Sports Center in Sandusky, Ohio on Friday, Aug. 30, and Saturday, Aug. 31.