MIAMI - The FIU volleyball team has been predicted to finish first in the Sun Belt Conference East Division, as was announced by conference officials on Tuesday. Senior standout Yarimar Rosa earned Preseason Player of the Year recognition and is joined by teammate Olga Vergun on the Preseason All-SBC Team.

FIU tallied 72 points in the East Division poll, edging Middle Tennessee, which earned 67 points, for first place. Western Kentucky came in third with 56 points, while South Alabama (33 points), Florida Atlantic (23) and Troy (22) rounded out the division.

The West Division was led by New Orleans (87 points), followed by Denver (80), UALR (57), Arkansas State (51), Louisiana (38), North Texas (36) and ULM (15).

FIU finished the 2008 season with a 28-7 record, a mark that included a 15-2 conference record and secured the program's fourth consecutive winning season, all of which have come under fifth-year head coach Danijela Tomic. The Golden Panthers captured the 2008 SBC East Division title and received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in the 21-year Division I history of the program.

Rosa's SBC Preseason Player of the Year nod marks the third of its kind for the senior, as she looks for her fourth-straight season with All-America recognition in 2009. The Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, native was named SBC Player of the Year and SBC Female Student-Athlete of the Year a year ago, and recently helped lead the Puerto Rican National Team to qualifying wins for the 2010 FIVB Women's World Championships.

Vergun receives her second Preseason All-SBC Team honor this year, as she was previously named to the squad in 2008 before redshirting the season. The Zaporozhje, Ukraine, native earned second-team All-SBC accolades as a freshman and went on to be named to the first team as a sophomore. 

FIU opens the 2009 campaign this weekend when the Golden Panthers travel to Lexington, Ky., for the Kentucky Classic, held Aug. 28-29 at the University of Kentucky's Memorial Coliseum. FIU will take on Western Carolina at 6 p.m. EST in its season opener on Friday, and will then square off against Northwestern (1 p.m. EST) and host Kentucky at (8 p.m. EST) the following day.

SBC PRESEASON VOLLEYBALL POLL
EAST
1. FIU - 72 points
2. Middle Tennessee - 67 points
3. WKU - 56 points
4. South Alabama - 33 points
5. Florida Atlantic - 23 points
6. Troy - 22 points 

WEST
1. New Orleans - 87 points
2. Denver - 80 points
3. UALR - 57 points
4. Arkansas State - 51 points
5. Louisiana - 38 points
6. North Texas - 36 points
7. ULM - 15 points 

PRESEASON ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TEAM
Anita Bucur - UALR
Cayla Fielder - Arkansas State
Yarimar Rosa - FIU
Olga Vergun - FIU
Leslie Clark - Middle Tennessee
Izabela Kozon - Middle Tennessee
Lindsey Loyd - New Orleans
Aquila Orr - WKU 

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year > Kacie Wikierak - Denver
Preseason Player of the Year > Yarimar Rosa - FIU

 -FIU-