Charlotte, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb volleyball team was selected to finish eighth overall in the 2013 Big South Conference's Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll, it was announced on Monday afternoon by the Big South Conference office in Charlotte, N.C.

The Runnin' Bulldogs, who are under the direction of third-year head coach Leo Sayles, garnered 32 total points in the coaches poll. Gardner-Webb received two sixth-place votes, two seventh-place votes, two eighth-place votes and four ninth-place votes.

Gardner-Webb was voted ahead of both Campbell and Charleston Southern who finished in a tie for ninth-place overall with 20 total points apiece.

The Liberty University volleyball team was chosen first in the Big South Conference's annual preseason poll and Lady Flames' middle blocker Caroline Douglas was voted the Conference's Preseason Player of the Year, which is also voted on by the League's head volleyball coaches.

Liberty, who was selected to finish first for the third year in a row, received eight first-place votes and 98 total points. Coastal Carolina, last year's tournament runner-up, picked up the two remaining first-place votes to finish second in the poll with 92 points. High Point earned 78 points from the coaches to claim the third spot, while UNC Asheville finished fourth with 56 points -- just two points ahead of fifth-place Presbyterian College (54). Radford garnered 52 points for sixth-place, ahead of Winthrop, who was selected seventh with 47 points.

The 2013 Big South volleyball season begins Friday, Aug. 30, with 12 matches scheduled. The Big South Volleyball Championship is slated for Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 21-24, on the campus of Presbyterian College.

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2013 Big South Conference Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll

Rk Team (first-place) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Points

1. Liberty (8) 8 2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 98

2. Coastal Carolina (2) 2 2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 92

3. High Point -- -- 8 2 -- -- -- -- -- -- 78

4. UNC Asheville -- -- 1 -- 4 4 1 -- -- -- 56

5. Presbyterian College -- -- -- 6 1 -- -- 1 1 1 54

6. Radford -- -- -- 2 2 2 4 -- -- -- 52

7. Winthrop -- -- 1 -- 3 2 1 2 1 -- 47

8. Gardner-Webb -- -- -- -- -- 2 2 2 4 -- 32

T-9. Campbell -- -- -- -- -- -- 1 2 3 4 20

T-9. Charleston Southern -- -- -- -- -- -- 1 3 1 5 20

Note: points are based on a weighted system, with first-place votes receiving 10 points, followed by 9 points for second-place, and so on.