Jonesboro, AR – (Contributed) – Aug. 20, 2025 – The Sun Belt Conference announced the 2025 volleyball preseason awards and coaches poll on Wednesday, including two Red Wolves and a second-place selection in the West Division.
Senior middle blocker Daedrianna Cail and junior outside hitter Kaitlin Whitlock earned Preseason All-Sun Belt Team honors after strong 2024 campaigns.
Cail was named 2024 Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league and ranking 15th nationally with 158 blocks. The All-Sun Belt First Team selection tallied 264 kills and hit a team-best .337 on the year.
Whitlock led A-State with 418 kills, 488 points, and 1,247 attacks while ranking second on the squad in digs last season. She led the team with 22 double-digit kill performances en route to earning 2024 All-Sun Belt Second Team and Tournament Team honors.
The 2025 Preseason Coaches Poll has the Red Wolves picked to finish second in the West Division, receiving 81 points and three first-place votes. Texas State placed first with 95 points and 11 first-place nods while South Alabama (68), Troy (54), Louisiana (42), Southern Miss (38), and ULM (14) rounded out the division.
Georgia Southern topped the East Division with 87 points and nine first-place votes, while James Madison (77) and Coastal Carolina (75) split two first-place votes. App State (61) received a single first-place vote and Georgia State (44), Old Dominion (27), and Marshall (21) followed.
A-State finished 28-6 (14-2 SBC) last season and claimed a share of the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title before appearing in the NIVC Great 8. The Scarlet and Black open the 2025 campaign at the Georgia Tech Classic, facing Ole Miss in their first match.
