LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Kutztown women's volleyball was picked to finish fifth by head coaches in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division preseason poll, announced Thursday. It is the highest preseason ranking for the Golden Bears since 2015.
 
Kutztown finished with its most wins in a regular season (13) since 2014, and just missed out on the postseason, dropping a five-set thriller to Bloomsburg in the season finale. KU went 13-12 overall and 7-7 in the PSAC, the most conference wins since 2014.
 
Sadie Doss (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) returns after earning All-PSAC East First Team honors a season ago. Doss started in 24-of-25 matches played this season and appeared in all 97 sets. She ranked second in the PSAC in kills (371) and kills per set (3.82), second in points (433.5) and third in aces (53). Her 53 aces are fourth-best in a season in program history. Doss was also second on KU with 270 digs and added 30 assists.
 
Other returning starters include Grace Ingram (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) and Julia Post (Sellersville, Pa./Pennridge). Cat Farole (Orefield, Pa./Parkland) played in 20 matches last season and Anna Parmer (Firestone, Colo./Mead) appeared in seven.
 
Kutztown's season begins with a non-conference match at Caldwell on Thursday, Aug. 31, followed by two matches against Southern Connecticut State and Bridgeport in New Haven, Conn, the following day. The home opener is set for Tuesday, Sept. 5, against Chestnut Hill, at 7 p.m., at Keystone Arena.