Women's Volleyball Picked Preseason Favorites; Jones Named Preseason Player of the Year

Courtesy of John Leisering

ERIE, Pa. - First year head coach Jared Marks and his 2025 women's volleyball team will have a bullseye on their backs this season as the Lions have been picked to finish first in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Preseason Coaches' poll released on Tuesday. Sophomore outside hitter Cadence Jones (North East, PA/North East) was named Preseason Player of the Year.  

Behrend ended 2024 at 13-18 overall and 6-2 in the conference, good for third place. The Lions defeated La Roche 3-0 in the conference playoffs first round before succumbing to Penn State Altoona in the semifinals 3-1.

The Lions return a dozen players from last year's team, including 2024 All-AMCC First Team and both AMCC and ECAC Newcomer-of-the-Year, Jones, and All-AMCC Second Team, sophomore setter Brynne Smith. Jones broke Behrend's season record for kills (470) while Smith wound up first in the conference in total assists (815) and finished second in service aces (58).

They will be joined by eight newcomers.

Behrend begins the Jared Marks era on Friday, August 29, against Bethany in Latrobe, Pa.

2025 AMCC Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll

1. Penn State Behrend (3)
2. Penn State Altoona (T-1)
3. Alfred State (T-1)
4. Mount Aloysius (4)
5. La Roche (5)
6. Hilbert (6)
7. Pitt-Greensburg (8)
8. Pitt-Bradford (7)
9. Carlow (9)

*Number in parenthesis is order of regular season finish in 2024