The University of Louisville volleyball team has been picked to win the Big East Conference championship in its first season as a member.

The Cardinals got 12 first-place votes in balloting by league coaches. Notre Dame, which got three first-place votes, was picked to finish second, followed by Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Marquette. The latter two, like U of L, South Florida and DePaul, are competing in the Big East for the first time.

The Cardinals return five starters, including a league-high three members of the All-Big East preseason team, from a team that finished 30-3 overall and 13-0 in Conference USA. Last season, U of L was ranked No. 16 in the final USA Today/CSTV and AVCA coaches' polls and won the C-USA regular-season and tournament titles.

All three Cards honored -- senior middle blocker Jennifer Hoffman, senior outside hitter Lena Ustymenko and junior outside hitter Anastasia Yartseva -- were unanimous selections.

Senior middle blocker Lauren Brewster of defending champion Notre Dame was selected as the preseason Player of the Year.