LANCASTER, Pa. – Seven-time defending champion Johns Hopkins has been tabbed as the favorite to repeat in the 2024 Centennial Conference Volleyball Preseason Poll. The Blue Jays collected all 10 possible first-place votes and totaled 100 points in a vote among CC head coaches.
Franklin & Marshall (84 points) edged Gettysburg and Swarthmore for second position in the preseason rankings. The Bullets and Garnet tied for third with 81 points apiece, with the Bullets claiming the other first-place tally. Haverford was selected to finish fifth with 60 points, followed by Muhlenberg (51) in sixth place as the final team projected to make the conference postseason.
Dickinson (45), Ursinus (44), Washington College (26), McDaniel (22) and Bryn Mawr (11) rounded out the poll in seventh through 11th place, respectively.
The 2024 season will begin on Friday, Aug. 30 with all 11 CC teams in action on opening day. Conference play begins on Saturday, Sept. 28, with the six-team Centennial playoffs set for Nov. 13-15-17 with the higher seeds hosting each round of competition.
2024 Centennial Conference Volleyball Preseason Poll
| Rank | Institution (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. Johns Hopkins (10) |
100 |
| 2. Franklin & Marshall |
84 |
| 3T. Gettysburg (1) |
81 |
| 3T. Swarthmore |
81 |
| 5. Haverford |
60 |
| 6. Muhlenberg |
51 |
| 7. Dickinson |
45 |
| 8. Ursinus |
44 |
| 9. Washington College |
26 |
| 10. McDaniel |
22 |
| 11. Bryn Mawr |
11 |
2024 Schedule | 2023 Championship Results | 2023 All-Centennial Team | History & Records
The 2023 campaign marked the third straight season and fifth time in the last six that multiple Centennial teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Johns Hopkins captured its seventh straight CC crown en route to the conference's automatic bid to the postseason, while CC runner-up Gettysburg earned an at-large bid to qualify for the national tournament for the first time since 2005.
Hopkins went on to capture its second straight and third overall regional title, advancing to the Elite Eight for the third time in the past four seasons, while the Bullets fell in round one. NCAA victories over Lasell, Middlebury and Wesleyan propelled the Blue Jays back to the quarterfinal round, where they lost a tight five-setter to Hope, the eventual national runner-up.
The Blue Jays (28-5), Bullets (23-6) and F&M (20-7) each posted 20-win seasons in 2023, marking the ninth time in the past 11 seasons that at least three CC teams reached the 20-win threshold.
In the all-time CC title count, Gettysburg owns an 11-10 edge over Johns Hopkins. F&M holds six CC crowns followed by Haverford (4) and McDaniel (3).
A decorated list of returners throughout the conference will be back on the court this fall, featuring six All-Americans, nine All-Region and 15 All-Centennial performers. Reigning CC Player of the Year and First Team All-American Simrin Carlsen of Johns Hopkins leads the list of returners and is joined in the All-America ranks by teammates Helena Swaak and Simone Adam. F&M's Gianna Mangiamele is the lone two-time All-American back this season, having eared honorable mention honors each of the past two years, while the Haverford duo of Taylor Jones and Juliet Young also boast All-America honors on their resumes.
Mangiamele, Jones, Young, Adam, and Swaak each return as multi-time All-Centennial performers along with Swarthmore's Trisha Razdan. Jones and Young will each seek their fourth consecutive conference honor this fall.
The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Coaches' Top-25 Preseason Poll is slated to be released on Monday, Aug. 26.
Returning All-Americans (6)
Gianna Mangiamele, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., OH/RS (2023 Honorable Mention, 2022 Honorable Mention)
Taylor Jones, Haverford, Sr., MB (2022 Honorable Mention)
Juliet Young, Haverford, Sr., Libero (2021 Honorable Mention)
Simrin Carlsen, Johns Hopkins, Sr., OH (2023 First Team)
Helena Swaak, Johns Hopkins, Jr., S (2023 Third Team)
Simone Adam, Johns Hopkins, Jr., OH (2022 Honorable Mention)
Returning All-Region (9)
Gianna Mangiamele, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., OH/RS (2023 First Team, 2022 First Team)
Liah Perez, Franklin & Marshall, Jr., S (2023 Honorable Mention)
Mary Heugel, Gettysburg, Jr., MH (2023 Honorable Mention)
Taylor Jones, Haverford, Sr., MB (2022 First Team)
Juliet Young, Haverford, Sr., Libero (2021 First Team)
Simrin Carlsen, Johns Hopkins, Sr., OH (2023 First Team)
Helena Swaak, Johns Hopkins, Jr., S (2023 First Team)
Chidinma Onukwugha, Johns Hopkins, Sr., MB (2023 Honorable Mention)
Simone Adam, Johns Hopkins, Jr., OH (2022 First Team, Freshman OTY)
Returning All-Centennial (15)
Camille Dofiles, Dickinson, Jr., S (2022 Honorable Mention)
Gianna Mangiamele, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., OH/RS (2023 First Team, 2022 Second Team)
Liah Perez, Franklin & Marshall, Jr., S (2023 Second Team)
Mary Heugel, Gettysburg, Jr., MH (2023 First Team)
Taylor Jones, Haverford, Sr., MB (2023 First Team, 2022 Second Team, 2021 Honorable Mention)
Juliet Young, Haverford, Sr., Libero (2023 Honorable Mention, 2022 Honorable Mention, 2021 First Team)
Simrin Carlsen, Johns Hopkins, Sr., OH (2023 First Team & Player OTY)
Simone Adam, Johns Hopkins, Jr., OH (2023 Second Team, 2022 First Team & Rookie OTY)
Helena Swaak, Johns Hopkins, Jr., S (2023 First Team, 2022 Second Team)
Chidinma Onukwugha, Johns Hopkins, Sr., MB (2023 Honorable Mention)
Roxy Karrer, Johns Hopkins, Sr., OH/DS (2022 Honorable Mention)
Alice Yu, Johns Hopkins, Jr., OPP (2022 Honorable Mention)
Trisha Razdan, Swarthmore, Sr., OPP/MB (2023 Second Team, 2022 Second Team)
Ellie Streeper, Swarthmore, Jr., DS/L (2022 Second Team)
Caroline Sherman, Ursinus, Sr., OH (2023 Second Team)
