SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced today the results of its preseason volleyball balloting, with the Wofford volleyball team tabbed to finish third in the league for the upcoming 2023 season. Senior Sarah Barham was selected to the Preseason All-SoCon Team.
 
The Terriers earned two first-place votes and secured 52 total points, five shy of Samford in second place. ETSU was picked as the favorite to win the league. This marks the third consecutive season in which Wofford enters picked within the top three of the conference.
 
Barham, a middle blocker from Summerfield, North Carolina, repeats on the Preseason All-SoCon Team after also receiving the recognition prior to last season. She concluded that campaign with a second-straight selection to the All-SoCon Second Team. Barham was second in the SoCon last season with a .333 hitting percentage, trailing only teammate Millie Loehr who set the program's single-season record with a .391 clip. Barham paced the league with 1.11 blocks per set and was second with 123 total blocks. She added 251 kills and 10 aces. She became just the eighth Terrier in program history last season to reach the 300 career blocks milestone.
 
Wofford opens its campaign with a pair of contests in the Big Orange Bash hosted by Clemson. The opener is on August 26, against Middle Tennessee, and the Terriers then face the host Tigers the following afternoon. Wofford's home slate opens the next weekend with three matches in the annual Wofford Invitational, hosted inside the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium on September 1 and 2.
 
SoCon play opens on the road at Mercer on September 22, and the Southern Conference Tournament is hosted by the Terriers inside Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium from November 17-19.
 
2023 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll

1. ETSU (5)	58
2. Samford (2)	57
3. Wofford (2)	52
4. Western Carolina	40
5. Chattanooga	35
6. The Citadel	27
7. Mercer	24
8.  Furman	19
9.  UNCG	12

() denotes first-place votes
 
2023 Southern Conference Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team
Ali Ruffin, The Citadel, Jr., OH
Brianna Cantrell, ETSU, So., OH
Lundyn Coffman, ETSU, Gr., MB
Gracie Lynn Butler, Samford, Jr., OH
Kate Morgan, Samford, Jr., LIB/DS
Bailey Hartsough, Western Carolina, Jr., OH
Eden Punch, Western Carolina, Sr., MB
Sarah Barham, Wofford, Sr., MB