Christopher Newport is the Coast-to-Coast Conference preseason favorite. CNU received five of seven first-place votes in the 2021 C2C preseason poll, released today.

CNU earned 47 total points in the poll, and is slotted ahead of Mary Washington (39 points), Salisbury (37 points), and UC Santa Cruz (36 points). Salisbury (2) and UC Santa Cruz (1) were the only other sides to receive a first place vote. Pratt, Mount Mary, Mills, and Finlandia round out the poll.

The Captains return to play coming off a 2019 conference title and it's 13th consecutive NCAA appearance. Led by five-time coach of the year Lindsay Birch, CNU returns conference rookie and player of the year Sammy Carroll, the second player in program history to take home both awards. The junior setter finished her freshman season in the national top 25 in assists. Additionally, Rebecca Frey returns to bolster the Captains' back line, and Mackenzie Wright will lead a talented, but fresh attack.

The Captains begin their league title at the C2C Women's Volleyball Championship, a 6-team tournament, hosted by Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, Wisc. on November 5 & 6. 
 

2021 C2C Volleyball Preseason Poll
Rank	Institution	Points (1st)
1st	Christopher Newport	47 (5)
2nd	Mary Washington	39
3rd	Salisbury	37 (2)
4th	UC Santa Cruz	36 (1)
t5th	Pratt	20
t5th	Mount Mary	20
7th	Mills	18
8th	Finlandia	8

Note: points are based on a weighted system, with first-place votes receiving 6 points, followed by 5 points for second-place, and so on.