CVC Release | AVCA Preseason Ranking Release | 2016 R-N Schedule

NEWARK, N.J. (January 11, 2016) - Rutgers University-Newark - the defending Continental Volleyball Conference (CVC) Champion - was picked to finish first in the CVC Preseason Coaches' Poll, it was announced Monday afternoon by the league office.

Rutgers-Newark received 47 total points in the poll including five first-place votes as the Scarlet Raiders swept their way to the CVC Tournament title last spring, their first year in the conference.

Head Coach Pedro Trevino returns all six starters from a team that finished 22-10 overall and lost just one contributor from its roster to graduation.

"It's always nice to be recognized by your peers," said Trevino when asked about poll. "However, we are focused on working all season to be at the top of the conference come April, not January, and I think our guys want to use last year as motivation to do even bigger things this year."

Rutgers-Newark reached the 'Elite Eight' of the NCAA Tournament in 2015 after earning the No. 1 seed in the CVC Tournament thanks to an 11-1 conference ledger and sweeping its way to the title in The Golden Dome Arena. The Scarlet Raiders then hosted and won an NCAA Tournament match in 'The Dome' before falling in the national quarterfinals.

Leading the way is middle hitter Cody Chidsey, the 2015 CVC Player of the Year and a second-team American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American. Chidsey finished with a league best 345 kills last season thanks in large part to the setting of senior Kevin McCandless. McCandless led the CVC in assists in 2015 and was named the CVC Tournament MVP after earning first-team all-league distinction as well. Also back is all-conference libero senior Quocmy Nguyen as well as outside hitters Travis Mintzer and Jack Fredricks, who each earned All-Tournament team honors.

The Scarlet Raiders - who were ranked No. 8 nationally in the AVCA Division III Preseason Top-15 - will also welcome several strong newcomers into the fold this year in addition to several underclassmen who have showed great improvement after a lot of hard work throughout the summer and offseason.

"We have a very dedicated and very deep team this year," added Trevino. "It's been exciting to watch some of our younger players develop, and I think the wealth of talent is really making the entire roster work hard each and every day."

Juniata College was picked second in the poll with 37 points after a 24-5 season in 2015, and the Eagles return 10 players from last year's squad. Marymount University and Stevenson University finished tied for third, with Eastern Mennonite University, Thiel College and Cairn University rounding out the preseason ranks.

Juniata was ranked seventh nationally to start the season and Stevenson was ranked No. 14 to give the CVC three teams in the top-15 to start the year.

CVC Preseason Poll
Rutgers-Newark - 47 (5)
Juniata - 37 (1)
Marymount - 35 (1)
Stevenson - 35 (1)
Eastern Mennonite - 21
Thiel - 13
Cairn - 8

Rutgers-Newark hosts The Golden Dome Classic to start its season on January 16 and will take part in the Johnson & Wales Tournament and the Kean University Tournament the following two weekends. R-N opens conference play on February 6 at Stevenson, and the team's home finale will be Tuesday, March 29. The regular-season finale is at Thiel College on April 2 with the CVC Tournament slated for April 8 and 9 at the regular-season conference champion.