Brooklyn Cink, Carrigan O'Reilly Tabbed to Preseason All-BIG EAST Team

NEW YORK - The BIG EAST Conference announced its volleyball preseason poll on Wednesday afternoon. The poll was voted on by conference head coaches.

Xavier was picked to finish third after posting a 21-12 (11-7 BIG EAST) record last season. The Musketeers are led by Christy Pfeffenberger in her ninth season.

Carrigan O'Reilly earns her third consecutive Preseason All-BIG EAST selection ahead of the 2023 season. O'Reilly is a three time All-BIG EAST selection, a six time BIG EAST Honor Roll selection, and has earned BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week honors twice. In 2022, the setter reached 3,410 career assists and moved into sixth place in the volleyball record book while also approaching the 1,000-1,000 club with her 893 digs. O'Reilly recorded three triple-doubles and 14 double-doubles against foes last season.

Brooklyn Cink was tabbed to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team after leading Xavier to a 21-12 (11-7 BIG EAST) record and earning a 2022 All-BIG EAST Team selection. In 2022, Cink recorded 433 kills, 27 service aces, 286 digs, 59 block assists, and nine block solos. The outside hitter accumulated 11 double-doubles and a BIG EAST Honor Roll selection last year.

BIG EAST PRESEASON POLL

BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year: Norah Sis, Creighton, Jr., OH

Preseason All-BIG EAST:
Jaymeson Kinley, R.S. Sr, Butler, DS
Ava Martin, So., Creighton, OH
Norah Sis, Jr., Creighton*, OH
Kendra Wait, Jr., Creighton*, S
Jill Pressly, Sr., OH, DePaul
Yadhira Anchante, Jr., Marquette*, S
Hattie Bray, Jr., Marquette, MB
Aubrey Hamilton, Sr., Marquette, OH
Carsen Murray, Sr., Marquette*, MB
Giorgia Walther, Jr., St. John's, OH
Brooklyn Cink, Gr., Xavier, OH
Carrigan O'Reilly, Gr., Xavier, S/RS
*Unanimous selection

Preseason Coaches Poll
Points (First place votes)
1. Marquette 97 (7)
2. Creighton 94 (4)
3. Xavier 78
4. St. John's 64
5. UConn 63
6. DePaul 59
7. Villanova 46
8. Butler 40
9. Seton Hall 30
10. Providence 18
11. Georgetown 16

SCHEDULE NOTES

• The Musketeers will face Purdue Fort Wayne in an exhibition match on Aug. 19 in Fort Wayne.

• Xavier will play 11 non-conference matches between four tournaments, with five games at home and six on the road. The Musketeers participate in two road tournaments, the Cincinnati Tournament and the Colorado Tournament, then return home to host two tournaments in the Cintas Center.

• Xavier open their home slate of non-conference games on Sept. 8 vs Buffalo at 6:30 pm.

• The Musketeers will face foes from 11 different conferences in the 2023 schedule (BIG EAST, MAC, The Valley, SWAC, Pac-12, Big Sky, Big XII, AAC, SEC, ASUN, Horizon League), meeting Alabama State, Northern Colorado, and Kennesaw State for the first time in program history.

• Xavier open BIG EAST action at Butler on Sept. 20 at 6 pm and is set to close the regular season at Creighton on Nov. 17 at 7 pm.

• The Musketeers will face four teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last season including Northern Colorado, Colorado, Marquette, and Creighton. Xavier also takes on Buffalo, St. John's and Alabama State, who each participated in the 2022 NIVC Tournament. Of the 21 opponents the Musketeers will face, 10 saw action in their respective conference tournament.

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• In 2022, the Musketeers achieved a 21-12 (11-7 BIG EAST) record, a trip to the BIG EAST Conference Tournament, and a postseason bid to the NIVC where they advanced to the quarterfinals but ended the season in a five set match with Boston College. The Musketeers are looking towards another successful season.

• Xavier returns 11 letterwinners, three of who were tabbed to the 2022 All-BIG EAST Team - Carrigan O'Reilly, Brooklyn Cink, and Delaney Hogan.

• To cap off the 2023 roster, the Musketeers added six freshman - Jamison Gordon, Elouise Czajkowski, Quinci Thomas, Kasey Quenichet, Margo Kemp, and Annie Eschenbach.

• The 2023 roster consists of two graduate students, four seniors, four juniors, one sophomore, and six freshmen.

• Following the conclusion of the 2022 regular season, Head Coach Christy Pfeffenberger and her staff were named the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year. Returning this year alongside Pfeffenberger is Associate Head Coach Ed Tolentino for his eighth season and Assistant Coach Andre Foster for his second.

• In July, Coach Pfeffenberger announced the hiring of former student-athlete, Angel Robinson, as the program's new graduate assistant. As an athlete at Xavier, Robinson accumulated 155 kills, 61 block assists, 11 block solos, and 199.5 points.

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