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Stevens will be led into the 33-match grind by first year head coach Glenn DeHaven. DeHaven joins the Castle Point community after spending two seasons as an assistant at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky. where the Pioneers posted a 45-19 overall record. DeHaven becomes the fourth women’s volleyball coach at Stevens in the program’s 26-year history.

On the court, the Ducks return senior outside hitter and three-time All-American Maggie Kowalska (Edison, N.J.). Kowalska paced the Ducks in 2011 with 456 kills, 312 digs and 61 service aces, while her 89 total blocks ranked second on the squad. She also became just the fourth women’s volleyball student-athlete to eclipse 1,000 career kills last year and broke the school’s single season points mark with 570.5.

A trio of juniors also return for the Ducks in setter Samantha Gates (Wilmington, N.C.), outside hitter Mary Caulson (West Islip, N.Y.) and libero Hannah Gasper (Bourne, Mass.). Gates was the Ducks’ primary setter last season and handed out 802 assists in 115 sets played to go along with 46 aces. Caulson was third on the team last year with 178 kills, while her 275 digs was second-best. Gasper started all 38 matches in 2011 from her back row position and registered 211 digs and 36 aces.

Sophomore outside hitter/middle blocker Katie Hall (Midlothian, Va.) is coming off a solid first year with the Ducks after posting 117 kills, 57 digs and 25 blocks in 89 sets.

Reigning conference champion, Nazareth College, has been selected to repeat in the Empire 8 after receiving seven of nine first place votes. Nazareth posted a 26-13 ledger in 2011 and a 5-2 mark in conference. Elmira College, the conference’s top seed in the postseason tournament, earned the other two first place votes and has been chosen to finish second.

The remainder of the Empire 8 preseason selections rounds out as follows: Ithaca College, St. John Fisher College, Hartwick College, newcomer Houghton College, Alfred University and Utica College.

2012 Empire 8 Women’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll

1.         Nazareth College (7 first place votes)     63 points
2.         Elmira College (2)                                  58
3.         Stevens Institute of Technology             46
4.         Ithaca College                                       43
5.         St. John Fisher College                         39
6.         Hartwick College                                    27
7.         Houghton College                                 20
8.         Alfred University                                    16
9.         Utica  College                                       12