PRINCETON, N.J. – Ivy League champions or co-champions nine of the 12 seasons, Yale was voted the preseason favorite in the 2021 Ivy League Preseason Volleyball Poll. 
 
The Bulldogs, led by 19-year head coach Erin Appleman, have won the Ivy championship 10 times under her direction with five outright titles and five shared. Yale returns 2019 First Team All-Ivy selection Sam Bray, who was fifth in the league in hitting percentage as a sophomore. 
 
Narrowly behind the Bulldogs was Princeton, which earned 117 points and six first-place votes. The Tigers have claimed the Ivy title four of the last five seasons with one outright championship and three shares. Princeton has been the Ivy League’s representative in the NCAA tournament three of the last four seasons.  
 
Cornell was picked to finish third with 96 points. The Big Red has placed third in the final standings each of the last three seasons. Behind Cornell was Brown with 69 points. The Bears were 13-10 overall in 2019 and posted a 5-7 conference mark. 
 
The poll was rounded out by Dartmouth with 55 points, Harvard with 46 points, Columbia with 37 points and Penn with 34 points. 
 
The poll was voted on by a panel of media members and sports information directors from across the league. 
 
The first Ivy League volleyball games are set to start on Friday, Sept. 3. League action will begin on Friday, Sept. 24. 
 
2021 Ivy League Volleyball Preseason Poll (First Place Votes)
1. Yale – 122 (10)
2. Princeton – 117 (6)
3. Cornell – 96
4. Brown – 69
5. Dartmouth – 55
6. Harvard – 46
7. Columbia – 37
8. Penn – 34