Villanova volleyball will begin its run toward a third consecutive berth in the BIG EAST tournament when the 2019 season gets underway this weekend.
 
The Wildcats were picked to finish fourth in this year's BIG EAST preseason poll, the same position they have finished the last two seasons. They trail Marquette, Creighton and St. John's in the preseason poll.
 
"We are trying to set the bar high. Once you go to the postseason a couple of years in a row you feel like that's the baseline and we need to improve on that. At the same time, we know we've got to earn it. Every year is a clean slate and we are aware that we have to show up every night in the BIG EAST," said Villanova head coach Josh Steinbach, who will be entering his 13^th year at the helm.
 
The 2019 Wildcats will be a veteran group with a lot to build on, returning five starters, including last season's kills, digs and assists leaders.
 
Up front, sophomore Clare Delaplane will try to build on her stellar freshman season when she led the team with 279 kills. She was able to get there thanks in part to returning senior setter Emma Decker, who tallied 1,117 assists last season. Senior Regan Lough was equally impressive at libero, racking up 616 digs a year ago and has been tabbed as a preseason all-BIG EAST second-team player before this season. Delaplane and Lough were both named to the all-BIG East second team following last season as well.
 
Junior Allie Olsonoski will also look to make a big impact this season. After leading the team in blocks and finishing third in kills a year ago, Olsonoski is playing her best volleyball yet, according to Coach Steinbach, and has potential to be a real force up front.
 
Another player to watch will be Sanaä Barnes. Barnes is coming off an all-America season in the high jump with the Villanova track and field team, and took home gold in the high jump at the U20 Pan-American Athletics Championships this summer. Her all-around athleticism makes her a must-watch player on the volleyball court.
 
While this is a veteran squad, the freshman class will play an integral role this season.
 
"I think the biggest thing this freshman class is going to do is give us some added depth in places we've never had it before," Coach Steinbach said.
 
Belle Morgan is ready to step in at setter when needed, and Kathleen Johnson has the ability to hit from anywhere, providing depth along the front line. Additionally, Sophia Howling, a transfer from Hawaii, has already made her presence felt in practice and will be a big piece of this team.
 
There are some big milestones on the horizon this season. Decker needs 790 assists to break the all-time assists record at Villanova. This is a reachable mark, as Decker has recorded over 1,000 assists in each of her previous three seasons and averaged 10.42 assists per set for her career. With 349 digs this year, Regan Lough can move into second place in all-time digs, after averaging 4.37 digs per set in her first three years.
 
"Your libero and setter touch the ball more than anybody else in the game. Having that level of consistency in those positions really helps," Coach Steinbach said.
 
Villanova will play a very competitive schedule in 2019. The Wildcats will open with nine games on the road, playing in tournaments at TCU, Bryant and USC. The Cowtown Classic in Fort Worth features stout competition, against Lipscomb and High Point, a team that defeated the Wildcats a year ago, before playing the hosting TCU.
 
The Trojan Invitational in Los Angeles will be even tougher. Villanova will face reigning Ivy League champion Yale, four-time reigning MEAC champion Howard, and the hosting USC, ranked No. 14 in the AVCA preseason poll. All three teams played in the NCAA tournament last season.
 
Villanova will then host its home opener on Sept. 19 against Temple as part of the Villanova Classic at Jake Nevin Fieldhouse. BIG EAST play will begin on Sept. 27 at Creighton. The season will conclude on Nov. 24 at home against St. John's. The BIG EAST tournament is scheduled for Nov. 29-30 in Milwaukee, Wisc.
 
"Our league is really fun and really competitive, and our matches are compelling. We love getting people out here to Nevin and it's a great environment to watch volleyball. It is great to have good crowds in here and it doesn't take a lot to be loud and we hope to see some people out to matches this year," Coach Steinbach said.
 
Be sure to follow @NovaVolleyball on Twitter and Instagram for the most information, updates and behind-the-scenes looks throughout the 2019 season.