BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - Despite receiving three first-place votes, the Union College volleyball team was predicted to finish second in the Appalachian Athletic Conference preseason coaches' poll, released Wednesday by the organization.

Union, the defending AAC regular-season champions, garnered 84 points which was one better than Bryan (Tenn.) College in third. Atop the poll is the 2007 AAC Tournament champion King (Tenn.) College with 92 points. King also received five first-place votes while the other two went to Bryan.

Last year Union finished one game better than King and Bryan in the conference standings. The Lady Bulldogs compiled a 16-2 conference mark with an overall record of 34-15.

UVa-Wise was fourth with Covenant (Ga.) College rounding out the Top-5.

Milligan (Tenn.) College starts the next five, followed by Virginia Intermont, Tennessee Wesleyan College, Montreat (N.C.) College and Bluefield (Va.) College.

The 2008 season gets underway for the Lady Bulldogs on Friday, August 29, at the Anderson (S.C.) University Tournament. Union plays USC-Aiken and Coker (S.C.) College at 2 and 8 p.m., respectively. The home schedule starts on September 2 when University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) visits. The conference opener for Union is a home contest on September 5 against Bryan (Tenn.) College.