GREENSBORO, N.C. – No. 24 Georgia Tech volleyball was picked to finish third in the 2021 ACC Preseason Coaches poll, and Mariana Brambilla and Julia Bergmann were named 2021 preseason all-ACC, the league office announced Friday.
The announcement marks the second consecutive year the Jackets have been slotted to finish third in the conference and have had multiple preseason all-ACC selections. All three of Georgia Tech’s preseason all-ACC selections in 2020 went on to garner all-ACC honors following the regular season – Brambilla (unanimous first team), Bergmann (unanimous first team) and Matti McKissock (second team).
Brambilla enters the year on the heels of a 2020-21 season in which she was named an AVCA Third Team All-American along with unanimous First Team All-ACC. The Brazilian led the team with 270 kills last season on the way to 1,100 career kills. In the ACC ranks, Brambilla was named ACC Player of the Week once and finished ranked second in kills per set (4.22) and third in points per set (4.77).
Bergmann approaches the 2021 slate following an all-American season in her own right, being named an AVCA All-America Honorable mention as well as unanimous First Team All-ACC. The Munich, Germany native finished the season second on the team with 269 kills as well as 186 digs and led the team with 30 aces on the year. Amongst the conference, the outside hitter was named ACC Co-Player of the Week once and finished second in aces per set (0.47) and points per set (4.97) as well as third in kills per set (4.20).
The Gold and White (14-5, 13-4 ACC) concluded the 2020-21 season by advancing to the second round of the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship for the first time since 2004, claiming their first NCAA Tournament win in nearly 21 years. The berth in the Big Dance alone marked the 10th time in program history, the first for the Yellow Jackets since 2009 and the first appearance under coach Michelle Collier.
Tech will host its final preseason match in an exhibition against South Carolina on Saturday at 4 p.m. in O’Keefe Gymnasium. Admission to the exhibition is free, and doors open at 3 p.m. Fans may park in the McCamish Pavilion lot or in the East O’Keefe Gymnasium lot.
Following the exhibition, Tech will open the regular season on the road at the UCF Challenge by taking on No. 12 Penn State and UCF (Aug. 27) in Orlando, Fla. The Jackets will make their official return to O’Keefe Gymnasium hosting the Georgia Tech Classic, beginning with Mississippi State (Sept. 9).
Season Tickets
Adult Season – $55.00
Youth (ages 3-18)/Senior (55+) Season – $30.00
Season tickets are now available. Secure your new season tickets online HERE or renew your season tickets through your ticket account found at www.ramblinwreck.com/myaccount or by calling the Georgia Tech Ticket Office at 888.TECH.TIX. To renew online, please log into your account and click on Season Ticket Renewals located in the right-hand column. If you need assistance, the Georgia Tech Ticket Office is open Monday – Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The renewal deadline is Aug. 27. Seating inside O’Keefe Gymnasium is general admission.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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