Syracuse placed No. 9 in preseason ACC coaches poll; Ebangwese preseason All-ACC

Syracuse was placed ninth in the Atlantic Coast Conference preseason coaches’ volleyball poll on Friday. Senior Santita Ebangwese was the only SU player named to the preseason All-Conference team.

The Orange finished last season with a 22-14 record, going 12-8 in ACC play. That was good enough for a berth in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship, a tournament akin to the basketball NIT. Syracuse lost both of its meetings with Pittsburgh, the first placed team in the coaches’ poll after they finished as co-ACC champions last season — tied for first place with Louisville.

Ebangwese was the only SU player to start all 36 matches last season and spent most of her time as the middle hitter. She led the Orange in both kills (331) and blocks (166).

Syracuse gets its season underway on Aug. 31 at the UConn Invitational, where the Orange will play New Hampshire.