BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Senior outside hitter Hollann Hans was named to the Preseason All-SEC team and the Aggies are picked to finish sixth in the Southern Conference standings according to the SEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, announced by the conference office Wednesday.
Hans is coming off an impressive junior campaign earning AVCA All-America Honorable Mention, while becoming the first player in A&M history to be named AVCA Region Player of the Year. She set more than 40 Texas A&M all-time, 25-point rally scoring era and SEC career, season and single match records. Hans was named to the AVCA All-South Region Team, the All-SEC Team and is garnering her second straight Preseason All-SEC honor.
The Corpus Christi native finished the 2018 season ranked fourth in the nation and second in the SEC with an all-time school record 64 total aces, demolishing A&M’s previous long standing all-time season record of 59 aces, which had stood since 1983. She led the SEC and was ninth in the nation with 5.20 points per set and was seventh in the country and second in the SEC with an all-time school record 0.53 aces per set, as well as 624 total points, the most by an A&M player in the 25-point scoring era.
Hans enters her final season only needing 152 points to break the A&M record for career points (1,456) in the 25-point rally scoring era.
She is joined on the SEC preseason team by Rachael Kramer from Florida; Gabby Curry, Leah Edmond and Madison Lilley from Kentucky; Taylor Bannister from LSU; Emily Stroup from Ole Miss; Kyle Deberg from Missouri; Mikayla Shields from South Carolina and Tessa Grubbs from Tennessee.
Kentucky, the defending SEC Champions were picked to finish first in the preseason poll with 11 first place votes totaling 143 points. Florida earned two first place votes and were picked to finish second with 132 points.
Tennessee placed third with 118 points, and Missouri followed with 113 points. South Carolina finished fifth with 97 points and the Aggies were picked to finish sixth with 88 points. LSU came in seventh with 82 points, followed by Georgia (58) and Arkansas (52) ninth. Ole Miss (49) took 10th place, followed by Alabama (46), Auburn (20) and Mississippi State (16) to round out the poll.
The Aggies, who finished tied for fifth in the SEC last season under the direction of second-year head coach Bird Kuhn, return 11 letterwinners and five starters. Kuhn also welcomes a top 30 recruiting class according to PrepVolleyball.com.
A&M hosts Baylor in an exhibition match on Saturday, August 24 in Reed Arena. The Aggies open up the 2019 campaign on Friday, August 30 against Dayton in the Cardinal Classic.
The full season volleyball schedule is available at 12thMan.com.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook and on Twitter by following @AggieVolleyball.
Preseason Coaches’ Poll
(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)
Place | School | Points |
1. | Kentucky (11) | 143 |
2. | Florida (2) | 132 |
3. | Tennessee | 118 |
4. | Missouri | 113 |
5. | South Carolina | 97 |
6. | Texas A&M | 88 |
7. | LSU | 82 |
8. | Georgia | 58 |
9. | Arkansas | 52 |
10. | Ole Miss | 49 |
11. | Alabama | 46 |
12. | Auburn | 20 |
13. | Mississippi State | 16 |
Name, School | Pos. | Yr. | Ht. | Hometown |
Rachael Kramer, Florida | MB | Sr. | 6-8 | Phoenix, Ariz. |
Gabby Curry, Kentucky | Libero | So. | 5-8 | Buford, Ga. |
Leah Edmond, Kentucky | OH | Jr. | 6-2 | Lexington, Ky. |
Madison Lilley, Kentucky | S | So. | 5-11 | Overland Park, Kan. |
Taylor Bannister, LSU | RS | Jr. | 6-5 | Missouri City, Texas |
Emily Stroup, Ole Miss | OH | Sr. | 6-0 | Fargo, N.D. |
Kylie Deberg, Missouri | OH | Jr. | 6-4 | Hudson, Iowa |
Mikayla Shields, South Carolina | RS/OPP | Sr. | 6-0 | Orlando, Fla. |
Tessa Grubbs, Tennessee | OH | Sr. | 6-3 | Tega Cay, S.C. |
Hollann Hans, Texas A&M | OH | Sr. | 6-1 | Corpus Christi, Texas |
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics