GORHAM, Maine – The Little East Conference announced the results of its annual preseason coaches' poll for women's volleyball on Friday morning with the University of Southern Maine placing seventh. The University of Massachusetts-Boston edged out Plymouth State University for the top spot in the poll by a point 61-60. The two schools split the first place votes 5-4 in favor of the Beacons. Western Connecticut State University placed third with 49 points.
 
The Huskies have a veteran core led by senior libero Sierra Castonguay (Nottingham, N.H./Dover). Castonguay placed sixth in the LEC in digs last season with 308 and recorded 27 aces and 45 assists. She has tallied 926 career digs and has a chance to become the fifth player in team history to reach the 1,000 digs milestone.
 
Other key returning Huskies include sophomore middle hitter Darrien Pugsley (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Arlington) and sophomore setter Cassidy Weiher (Aurora, Colo./Cherokee Trail). Pugsley led the team in block assists with 21 and tied for the team lead in total blocks with 26 as a rookie last season. The 2023 LEC All-Sportsmanship Team selection also contributed 71 kills. Weiher was fourth in the conference in assists per set with 6.11 and tied for fifth in assists with 489. She ended her freshman season on a high note with a LEC Rookie of the Week award after posting two of the top five assist totals in program history for three-set matches. Her 39 assists against Fisher College tied for the second-most in program history for a three-set match and her 38 against Vermont State University Castleton tied for fourth.
 
Led by head coach Diane Newell in her 11th season, the Huskies kickoff the 2024 campaign at the Coast of Maine Classic hosted by Maine Maritime Academy on August 30-31. The first game of the season for Southern Maine will be on August 30 at 8:00 pm against Maine Maritime.

 

2024 Little East Conference Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll (FPV)
1.	UMass Dartmouth	61 points	(5)
2.	Plymouth State	60 points	(4)
3.	Western Connecticut	49 points
4	UMass Boston	43 points
T-5.	Eastern Connecticut	33 points
T-5.	Keene State	33 points
7.	Southern Maine	17 points
8.	VTSU-Castleton	16 points
9.	Rhode Island College	12 points