RICHMOND, Va. – Leah Daniel has been selected as the Colonial Athletic Association's Preseason Player of the Year and Jordan Gower an honorable mention as the conference office released the 2021 Volleyball Preseason Poll on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 18. As a team, Elon was picked to finish fifth in the league with 33 points. The poll was selected based on a vote by the league's head coaches.
 
Towson, back-to-back CAA Tournament champions in 2019 and spring 2021, is the favorite to win the conference after receiving six first-place votes and 63 total points. James Madison followed with one first-place vote and 54 points, Northeastern got the other first-place vote and is third with 48 points, and Charleston grabs fourth with 43 points. Delaware and Hofstra tied for sixth with 26 points each, UNCW garnered 17 points, and William & Mary rounds out the poll with 14 points.

"Our team has worked hard and will continue to push themselves to prepare for the start of conference play," head coach Mary Tendler stated. "The CAA is very balanced from top to bottom; we know we have to perform at a high level each match to find success. If we continue to stay focused and improve, good things will happen for this team."
 
Daniel became the first student-athlete in the program's Division I history to be named conference Player of the Year after leading the CAA in attacks per set (12.05), kills per set (4.43) and points per set (4.76) this past spring. An All-CAA First Team selection, the Zionsville, Ind. native was named to the AVCA East Coast All-Region Team and added AVCA All-American Honorable Mention honors. For Gower, the Raleigh, N.C. native landed on the All-CAA Second Team after ranking second in the conference in total digs (203) and digs per set (5.08). She reached double-digit digs in every match, including a career high of 33 against Davidson on March 20.

"Both Leah and Jordan, with the help of their teammates, have earned the honor of being named to the Preseason All-CAA team," added Tendler. "Leah can score points for us, not only with her impressive kills, but also with her serve and block. Jordan is one of the most consistent passers that we have ever had at Elon and covers a lot of space both in serve receive and on defense. The competition in our gym has made them better, and we look forward to getting on the court for our first match in Blacksburg."
 
Elon opens its 2021 season at the Virginia Tech Invitational on Aug. 27-28. That Fridays sees the maroon and gold facing Toledo at 10 a.m. before playing again at 5 p.m. versus Lehigh. The Phoenix then closes out the road trip against the Hokies on Saturday at 3 p.m.
 
2021 Preseason All-CAA Volleyball Team
Julia Brown, William & Mary
Nina Cajic, Towson
Leah Daniel, Elon
Sophia Davis, James Madison
Emily Jarome, Towson
Nailah Jenkins, Northeastern
Savannah Seemans, Delaware
Erica Staunton, Northeastern
Miëtte Veldman, James Madison
 
2021 Preseason Player of the Year: Leah Daniel, Elon
 
Honorable Mention: Kristen Badowski (UNCW), Claire Campbell (Charleston), Emma Falk (Charleston), Jordan Gower (Elon), Ana Martinovic (Hofstra), Lydia Wiers (Towson)