SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford junior outside hitter Kaleigh Meritt was named preseason All-SoCon and the Bulldogs were picked to finish second in the coaches' preseason poll released by the league Thursday afternoon.
 
Last season, Meritt led the team and ranked fourth in the SoCon in kills with 371. She was third in the league in kills per set, averaging a team-best 3.64 per set. She had double-digit kills in 22 different matches last season, including a career-high 27 kills against The Citadel in the SoCon Tournament.
 
Wofford was picked as the preseason favorite to win the league with 61 points and five first-place votes. Samford came in second with 54 points and three first-place nods. ETSU was picked third with 51 points, while Furman was tabbed fourth with 47 points and the last remaining first-place vote.
 
Chattanooga and UNC Greensboro tied for fifth in the poll with 29 points apiece. The Citadel was picked seventh (23 points), Mercer was picked eighth (18 points) and Western Carolina was picked ninth (12 points).
 
Samford will open the 2025 season by playing host to the Georgia Bulldogs on Friday, Aug. 29, at 6:30 p.m. in the Pete Hanna Center.
 
2025 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Wofford (5) 61
2. Samford (3) 54
3. ETSU 51
4. Furman (1) 47
5. Chattanooga 29
   UNCG 29
7. The Citadel 23
8. Mercer 18
9. Western Carolina 12
 
() denotes first-place votes

2025 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team
Brianna Cantrell, ETSU, OH
Whitley Rammel, ETSU, MB/RS
Izzy Castelloe, Furman, MB
Sophia Henry, Mercer, OH/RS
Allie Sweet, UNCG, OH
Kaleigh Meritt, Samford, OH
Kynli Kirkendoll, Chattanooga, MB
Bradley Brown, Wofford, MB
Laney Klika, Wofford, LIB
Bri Mahoney, Wofford, OH
 
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