Powell, Manning Named To All-C-USA Preseason Volleyball Team

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Powell and Manning Named To All-C-USA Preseason Team
Mustangs picked to finished second in C-USA by coaches

Aug. 11, 2011

IRVING, Texas (SMU) - Dana Powell and Courtney Manning were selected to the 2011 Volleyball All-Conference USA Preseason Team by the conference coaches, league officials announced Thursday.

Powell, a senior outside hitter from Tulsa, Okla., earned her second All-America honor after leading the Mustangs to a school-record 25 wins with just six losses. She was seventh in the league last season and led SMU with 416 kills. She was also 11th in the conference and third on the team with 445 digs.

Manning, a junior middle blocker from Mesquite, led Conference USA with an SMU single-season record 162 blocks last season and was in the top-20 in the league in hitting percentage. She was named Second Team All-Conference USA for her efforts during her sophomore campaign.

SMU was picked to finish second this season by the league's coaches, behind defending champion Tulsa. The Mustangs received one first place vote, after going 25-6 last season. SMU posted a 17-3 record in C-USA matches last season to finish second in the league.

The Mustangs open the season on the road Aug. 26-27 at the Oklahoma Invite. The first home game for SMU is scheduled for Sept. 2 against TCU in SMU's opening match of the Doubletree Classic in Moody Coliseum.