UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- No. 9 Penn State women's volleyball has been selected fourth in the 2016 Big Ten Preseason Poll, released by the conference this morning. Additionally, juniors Haleigh Washington and Ali Frantti have been named to the 2016 Preseason Big Ten Volleyball Team.
The pair of preseason All-Big Ten honors are the second straight for Washington and Frantti, who each earned the honor in 2015. Washington is also among a group of just four honorees to be voted to the team by a unanimous decision from the league's 14 head coaches.
As a returning First Team AVCA All-American, Washington also garnered unanimous All-Big Ten postseason honors in 2015. Leading the team with 1.38 blocks per set, Washington posted at least two blocks in all but one match a year ago, starting all 34 matches. She highlighted the 2015 season with 13 double figure kill performances, finishing the season with a .442 hitting percentage that ranked third nationally and first in the league.
Frantti also garnered All-America honors in 2015, earning honorable mention distinction. She finished tied for third on the team averaging 2.63 kills per set last year, having started all 34 matches for the Nittany Lions. Recording 10 or more digs on five occasions, Frantti also finished fourth on the team with 1.83 digs per set. With at least 10 kills in 14 matches, Frantti matched a season-high mark with 14 kills four times during the 2015 season, tying the mark for the final time with 14 kills on .407 hitting in the NCAA Tournament second round win against Dayton.