Women’s Volleyball Picked Ninth in WCC Preseason Poll

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2012 Volley Preseason Poll Video

2012 Volleyball Preseason Poll

SAN BRUNO, Calif.  - The Gonzaga University women's volleyball team has been selected to finish ninth in the 2012 West Coast Conference season according to a preseason vote of the leagues head coaches. The Zags received 11 votes in this year's poll, after losing three starters from the 2011 team that finished 8-19 overall and 2-14 in conference play.

Dave Gantt is in this fourth season at the helm of the Bulldogs and welcomes back seven letterwinners, including four starters and nine newcomers in 2012. The squad is led by a trio of seniors; outside hitter Terran Poindexter (2.48 kps), setter Mengya Wang (0.65 aps) and right side hitter Kylie Edinger (2.36 kps).

Gonzaga opens the season at the Northwest Challenge, hosted by the University of Washington, Aug. 24-25. The Bulldogs will play three matches in the tournament and open against Portland State Universitsy of the Big Sky Conference. On the second day of the tournament, the Zags will face Washington of the Pacific-12 and close out with Mountain West foe Boise State University.

Saint Mary's University and University San Diego each received four first place votes and 59 total points to tie for the top spot in the preseason poll. The Gaels finished fourth last season in the conference and the Toreros finished second.

Defending WCC Champion Pepperdine University was the only other team in the conference to receive a first place vote. Pepperdine was voted to finish third, followed by BYU and the University of San Francisco. Last season, BYU finished third and San Francisco finished fifth in the league.

The list rounds out with last year's sixth place finisher Loyola Marymount University and last year's seventh place finisher Santa Clara University tied for sixth. University of Portland tied for ninth last season with the Bulldogs and was voted to finished eighth this season.

Out of the nine WCC teams, six had players named to the WCC Preseason All-Conference Team.  

2012 WCC Preseason Poll

Team (First Place Votes)              Points

T 1.  Saint Mary's (4) 59

T 1. San Diego (4) 59

3. Pepperdine (1) 53

4. BYU 42

5. San Francisco 33

T 6. Loyola Marymount 27

T 6. Santa Clara 27          

8. Portland 13

9. Gonzaga 11

2012 Preseason WCC All-Conference Team

Name School Year Position

Samantha Cash Pepperdine Sophomore Middle Blocker

Chloe Ferrari San Diego Sophomore Middle Blocker

Jennifer Hamson BYU Junior Middle Hitter

Katie Hoekman San Diego Junior Opposite Hitter

Betsi Metter Loyola Marymount Junior Middle Hitter

Jordan Shaw Saint Mary's Junior Outside Hitter

Malina Terrell San Francisco Junior Middle Blocker

Missy White Saint Mary's Senior Setter

Kellie Woolever Pepperdine Junior Setter

Valentina Zaoloznik San Francisco Sophomore Middle Blocker