BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University Bears have been picked to finish second in the 2012 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Volleyball standings in a vote of the league's coaches.  The MASCAC Volleyball Preseason Poll was released recently by conference Director of Media Relations, Jim Seavey.

Bridgewater State finished behind preseason favorite Westfield State University in the poll.  Westfield, the defending MASCAC champion, garnered 47 points and received five of seven first place votes.  Bridgewater and Framingham State University each captured one first place vote and 36 points.  Worcester State University with 34 points rounded out the top four.

Head Coach Liz Morris begins her third year at the helm of the BSU volleyball program.  Morris has directed the Bears to a record of 23-33 over her first two seasons, and her teams have advanced to MASCAC Tournament play on both occasions.

Coach Morris welcomes back a talented junior class led by libero and First Team All-MASCAC selection Kristen Robillard (Swansea, Mass.) as well as team captains Melanie Appleman (Hyannis, Mass.) and Tayler Beck (Marion, Mass.).

Robillard recorded 536 digs and 22 aces in 30 matches during her first season with the Bears in 2011.  The 536 digs not only led the MASCAC but was also the fourth highest single-season total in program history.  She also set a single-match record for digs with 42 against Rutgers-Newark back at the NYU Labor Day Invitational.

Appleman, an All-MASCAC Second Team selection in 2010 and 2011, finished the 2011 campaign with 502 assists, 188 digs, 84 kills, 39 blocks (10 solo), 28 aces and a .944 serve percentage.  The Bears’ setter ranked fourth in the MASCAC with her 502 assists.  In 56 matches over two seasons at BSU, Appleman has 1,150 assists and 115 kills to her credit to go along with 284 digs, 54 blocks (19 solo) and 42 aces.

The versatile Beck has amassed 378 kills, 62 aces, 155 digs and 54 blocks over her first two seasons.

Junior Danielle Dean (Gilford, N.H.) also returns to the Bears’ lineup after registering 164 kills, 31 aces, 358 digs and 14 blocks in 2011, her first season with the team.

Incoming freshman joining the BSU volleyball program in 2012 are setter and defensive specialist Rebecca Holmes (Wareham, Mass.), middle hitter Julie Hutchins (Bellingham, Mass.), outside hitter Carolyn Morin (Marstons Mills, Mass.) and outside hitter and defensive specialist Victoria Shannon (Mansfield, Mass.).

Bridgewater opens the 2012 season at a tri-match hosted by the University of New England on Saturday, September 1st.  MASCAC play gets underway on Tuesday, September 11th when the Bears host Salem State University.