BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State College volleyball team has been chosen as the preseason favorites to capture the 2009 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) regular season title.  The MASCAC volleyball preseason poll was released on Thursday by MASCAC Director of Media Relations, Jim Seavey.

In a vote of the league's eight coaches, Bridgewater received four of the seven first place votes and tallied 45 points.  Westfield State, which which earned a share of the MASCAC regular season crown last season, followed with 41 points which included two first place votes.  Framingham State (35 points) and Worcester State (30 points) rounded out the top four teams.

Last season, the BSC volleyball team earned a share of the MASCAC regular season championships along with Westfield.  Bridgewater captured the program's tenth straight MASCAC Tournament title as the Bears knocked off the Owls, three games to two, in the tournament title game.  With the championship, BSC advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the tenth straight year. 

Head Coach Bob Roscoe (2nd Year) returns seven players from the 2008 squad led by junior outside hitter and reigning MASCAC Player of the Year, Julie Clerc (Acushnet, MA).  Clerc tallied 378 kills last season to go along with 276 digs and 63 aces.

Also returning to the lineup are First Team All-MASCAC selection, Natalie Cohen (Jr., Marstons Mills, MA), and MASCAC Rookie of the Year, Shelly DePina (So., New Bedford, MA).  Cohen notched 918 assists at the setter positions and added 179 digs, 48 blocks and 26 aces.  DePina registered 221 kills and 97 blocks in her first collegiate season of competition.

Juniors Shelby Burghardt (Marshfield, MA), Kristina Campbell (Taunton, MA) and Marissa Pita (Hyannis, MA) and senior Brianne Cobb (New Bedford,  MA) add even more veteran leadership to the BSC volleyball squad.