ATLANTA -- After winning the inaugural Sun Belt Conference Beach Volleyball Championship a year ago, Georgia State is the unanimous preseason favorite to win the 2024 Sun Belt title, garnering all eight first-place votes in preseason voting by the league head coaches.

Head coach Beth Van Fleet's Panthers are also ranked 12th in the 2024 AVCA Collegiate Beach Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll.

Last spring, Georgia State won its second straight conference title and made its second straight trip to the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship. The Panthers finished with a No. 14 final ranking and a 20-17 record, reaching the 20-win plateau for the seventh straight full season.

The Panthers open the 2024 campaign Feb. 23-24 with matches against FAU, Arizona State, South Carolina and host Tampa at the Tampa Invitational.

"It's an honor to be voted the Sun Belt favorite and ranked among the top 20 teams in the AVCA coaches poll," Van Fleet said. "How good will this team be? We don't know until we play, so we look look forward to starting the season this weekend at the University of Tampa along with FAU, ASU and South Carolina."

Georgia State returns one of the nation's top pairs in All-Americans Angel Ferary and Bella Ferary. The seniors from Marietta, Ga. (Mount Paran Christian) were recognized as the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Pair of the Year.

Van Fleet enters her 11th season at the helm as one of the winningest coaches in the nation with 208 victories. She has guided the Panthers to 10 straight winning seasons and four appearances in the national championship tournament.

2024 Sun Belt Beach Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Georgia State (8) – 64
2. Coastal Carolina – 55
3. College of Charleston – 39
4. UNCW – 34
T5. Mercer – 31
T5. Southern Miss – 31
7. ULM – 24
8. Stephen F. Austin – 10
(Parenthesis) indicate first-place votes.