NEW ORLEANS (JMU Athletics) – James Madison volleyball was voted first in the Sun Belt Conference East Division for the second consecutive year, while redshirt senior Miëtte Veldman was named to the Preseason All-Conference team, the league announced on Thursday afternoon.

In a vote with the league’s 14 head coaches, the Dukes received eight first-place votes to Coastal Carolina’s six, while Texas State was awarded all 14 first-place votes in the West Division.

Veldman enters her fifth season at No. 7 on the JMU career leaderboard in kills (1,302) and second in kills per set (3.95). The Daleville, Va., native was named First Team All-Sun Belt in 2023 after finishing with 427 kills (3.65/set) and 328 digs (2.80/set). The 427 kills are the seventh-highest single-season total in program history, and the outside hitter recorded 13 double-doubles to lead the team.

JMU, after finishing 21-10 overall and 12-4 in league play in 2023, will look for its third straight appearance in the Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship in 2024. The Dukes open the season on Aug. 30, hosting Delaware State as part of the LD&B Insurance Invitational.

2024 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Preseason Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Jalyn Stout, Coastal Carolina (S, So., Gainesville, Fla.)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Jade Defraeye, Texas State (MB, Jr., Dunkirk, France)
Preseason Setter of the Year: Janelle Stuempfig, Troy (S, Jr., Sussex, Wisc.)
Preseason Libero of the Year: Mio Yamamoto, Louisiana (L, Sr., Chigasaki, Japan)

All-Sun Belt Team
Maya Winterhoff, App State (MB, Jr., Charlottesville, Va.)
Jalyn Stout, Coastal Carolina (S, So., Gainesville, Fla.)
Miëtte Veldman, James Madison (OH, R-Sr., Daleville, Va.)
Reagan Barth, Georgia Southern (OH, So., Lenexa, Kan.)
Mio Yamamoto, Louisiana (L, Sr., Chigasaki, Japan)
Myah Conway, Old Dominion (RS, Sr., Orwigsburg, Pa.)
Jade Defraeye, Texas State (MB, Jr., Dunkirk, France)
Alyssa Ortega, Texas State (L, Sr., San Antonio, Texas)
Ryann Torres, Texas State (S, Fifth Year, Buda, Texas)
Samantha Wunsch, Texas State (OH, R-So., Austin, Texas)
Tori Hester, Troy (OH, Sr., Salisbury, N.C.)
Janelle Stuempfig, Troy (S, Jr., Sussex, Wisc.)

Preseason Coaches Poll
East Division
1. James Madison – 90 (8)
2. Coastal Carolina – 88 (6)
3. Georgia Southern – 74
4. Old Dominion – 48
5. App State – 45
6. Marshall – 31
7. Georgia State – 16

West Division
1. Texas State – 98 (14)
2. Troy – 80
3. South Alabama – 71
4. Louisiana – 57
5. Southern Miss – 37
6. Arkansas State – 35
7. ULM – 14
Parentheses indicate first-place votes

— JMU Athletics —