NORFOLK, Va. – Coppin State's volleyball team was picked third in the MEAC Predicted Order of Finish as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, it was announced by the league on Wednesday morning. Additionally,
Coco Figueroa and
TaKenya Stafford were selected to the Preseason All-MEAC Team.
Predicted to lead the league was Howard with 116 points, followed closely by Delaware State with 114 points. The Eagles followed in the poll with Norfolk State, Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State, North Carolina Central and South Carolina State rounding it out.
A junior from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Figueroa was a First Team All-MEAC selection following the 2024 season after leading the conference with 436 total digs in all games and 4.62 digs/set in league play. Figueroa also ranked among the MEAC leaders in aces (39) and averaged 1.04 assists per set. She posted double-digit digs in 24 matches, tallying at least 20 in three matches with a career-high 27 digs with 11 assists at N.C. Central.
In just two seasons at Coppin, Figueroa ranks just outside Coppin's all-time top ten with 619 career digs and 65 aces.
Stafford has been a First Team All-MEAC recipient in both of her seasons at Coppin and led the MEAC with 17 double-doubles last year. A senior from Los Angeles, Calif., Stafford ranked second in the league in total kills (416), third in points (455.5), fifth in digs (323) and ninth in hitting percentage (.241). Stafford posted double-digit kills in 23 matches and double-digit digs in 19 matches while recorded at least 20 kills in four matches.
Stafford already ranks fifth in CSU history with 779 kills and is just outside the top ten with 617 digs after just two seasons at Coppin.
The Eagles open the season on August 29-30 at the Aggie/Phoenix Invitational, hosted by Elon and North Carolina A&T. Coppin plays Elon at 6 pm on Friday night followed by Bethune-Cookman (1 pm) and North Carolina A&T (6 pm) on Saturday.
Coppin State has been selected as the hosts of the 2025 and 2026 MEAC Tournament. This year's Tournament will be held on November 20-22 at PEC Arena with an awards ceremony and banquet to be held the day prior to competition.
