AUGUSTA, GA — Defending PBC regular-season and tournament champions Augusta University have been selected as the preseason volleyball favorites in a poll of the league’s head coaches released on Thursday. In a tightly contested race, the Jaguars captured three first-place votes for 15 points, just one ahead of Lander in second place with two first-place votes and 14 points. USC Aiken, Flagler and Georgia College & State University rounded out the voting.

“We are very excited for Sophia and Janvier for being recognized preseason selection. Their hard work is definitely is paying off and it is being recognized around the conference. Truly an awesome thing!,” said head coach Sharon Quarles. “It is an honor to be recognized at the top of the poll after losing some key players from last years’s squad. We don’t take that lightly and we understand the hard work needed to bring 6 new players into the family of Augusta and still WIN! It actually fuels our team to continue to work hard on the practice court as we are preparing for the opening of the season—learning who we are and how to get the most out our team. It is going to be FUN!”

Augusta won their second straight PBC regular-season title and the PBC Tournament for the fifth time in the last six years, edging Lander in the five-set championship match. Augusta also reached the NCAA Southeast Regional final for the second time in the last three years with their fifth straight trip to the postseason. For 2024, the Jaguars return one of the most experienced teams in the league with nine seniors and graduate students. Augusta is returning  AVCA Honorable Mention All-American Janvier Buggs and All-Conference performer Sophia Kruczko. Both were named to the 2024 Preseason All-Conference Team. 
 

The preseason coaches poll is below, followed by the All-Conference team. Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams or vote for their own players.

2024 Preseason Coaches Poll

2024 Preseason All-Conference Team

Janvier Buggs, Augusta

• A graduate student setter from Smyrna, Tenn.
• A PBC first-team All-Conference selection, she was named an AVCA honorable mention All-American and twice the PBC Specialist of the Week
• Was second in the PBC in total assists and third in assists per set…also ranked third in the league in aces per set
• A PBC Presidential Honor Roll Presidential Scholar

Sophia Kruczko, Augusta

• A senior middle blocker from Cary, N.C.
• A second-team All-Conference selection in 2023…named to the PBC All-Tournament Team
• Ranked eighth in the PBC in hitting percentage and ninth in kills per set…ranked 10th in the league in blocks per set
• A PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar, she was named to the PBC Team of Academic Distinction and is a recipient of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award

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