ERIE, PA – Rutgers-Newark has been picked to finish last in the revamped Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) in the annual preseason coaches' poll.

Penn State is the unanimous favorite to defending its EIVA championship while the Scarlet Raiders, who are transitioning to NCAA Division III status, were one vote behind neighboring NJIT.

George Mason is the strong runner-up pick in the league which has consolidated into one eight-team conference from its two-division format of a year ago.  Sacred Heart, Saint Francis, Princeton and Harvard were rated to finish third through sixth, respectively, ahead of the Highlanders and the Raiders.

Rutgers-Newark returns a strong nucleus from last season's 17-12 squad which posted a 4-6 EIVA Tait record.  The Raiders downed Saint Francis in the EIVA Championship opening round before falling to the Nittany Lions in the semifinals in University Park.

R-N first-year head coach Pedro Trevino will have seniors Austin Pappas, Marcin Midura and Zack Chambers to build around.

Pappas, an All-EIVA second team right side, led the nation in aces average, helping the Raiders take the team honor as well.  He led the Raiders with 3.35 kills and 4.25 points per set in 2011.

Midura, a 6-foot-4 outside hitter, averaged 2.55 kills and 2.97 points per set while Chambers, who was a first-year Raider last season, led the team with 178 digs while making just 38 reception errors in 616 tries (93.8%).

The Raiders will have to overcome the loss of first-team All-EAST setter Jeff Zornig who averaged 10.31 assists per set while running the R-N attack.

Rutgers-Newark hosts NJIT, NYU and Hunter in The Golden Dome Invitational on January 20 and 21 to start its season.
 

2012 EIVA Preseason Coaches' Poll
			2011 RECORD
#	TEAM	PTS.	EIVA	OVERALL
1	Penn State	7	10-0	24-7
2	George Mason	11	8-2	17-11
3	Sacred Heart*	21	5-3	13-9
4	Saint Francis	22	3-7	10-19
5	Princeton	24	1-9	3-19
6	Harvard*	30	1-7	9-13
7	NJIT*	40	1-7	7-21
8.	Rutgers-Newark	41	4-6	17-12
	*EIVA Hay Division in 2011.