LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – IUP women's volleyball was picked to finish third in the Southwest Division as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) released its 2017 preseason coaches' poll on Thursday afternoon.
 
The Crimson Hawks picked up three of the possible 16 first place votes, marking the first recorded time the program has pulled first place votes in a preseason poll.
 
Clarion was picked first in the Southwest, garnering seven first place votes. California is ahead of IUP with four first place votes, and Seton Hill rounds out the four-team division with two first place votes.
 
In other divisions, West Chester was a unanimous selection in the Southeast with all 16 first place votes. Pitt-Johnstown (13 first place votes) was the top choice in the Central, with Shippensburg (three) following in second. And in the Northwest, defending conference champion Gannon (13) was picked first with Edinboro (three) in second.
 
The Crimson Hawks return All-Atlantic Region outside hitter Natalie Cignetti (Indiana, Pa./Indiana), who is coming off one of the best offensive seasons in program history with 446 kills and 3.75 kills per set. She'll be joined by Alexis Anderson (Cleveland, Ohio/Mayfield) and Gabby Egler (Pittsburgh, Pa./Barack Obama Academy), who tallied 286 and 154 kills, respectively. Egler also had a team-high 91 total blocks last year while Jess Marut (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) finished with 652 digs.
 
IUP opens its 2017 season with the Quality Inn Crimson Hawk Invitational September 1-2. The Crimson Hawks will play Ursuline, sixth-ranked Palm Beach Atlantic, Roberts Wesleyan and Daemen.
 
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For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's volleyball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPVB.
 
2017 PSAC Preseason Coaches' Poll
Central
1) Pitt-Johnstown (13)
2) Shippensburg (3)
3) Millersville
4) Lock Haven
 
Northwest
1) Gannon (13)
2) Edinboro (3)
3) Mercyhurst
4) Slippery Rock
 
Southwest
1) Clarion (7)
2) California (4)
3) IUP (3)
4) Seton Hill (2)
 
Southeast
1) WCU (16)
2) Kutztown
3) East Stroudsburg
4) Cheyney