Long Beach State University Athletics
Big West Releases Preseason Poll
7/31/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Long Beach Tabbed To Finish Second In Preseason Big West Poll LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Big West women's volleyball preseason coaches' poll was released today by the conference office, and Long Beach State was picked to finish second out of the conference's nine teams for the 2007 season. The poll was voted on by each of the conference's head coaches. Long Beach State trailed only Cal Poly in the poll, earning one first place vote to the Mustang's 8, and earning 70 points. The 49ers enter the 2007 season returning five starters from a squad that posted a 26-6 overall mark last season and finished second in the Big West with a 12-2 record, only losing to Cal Poly last season in their two matches, including a five-game heartbreaker in the Pyramid last season. Long Beach State will look to a veteran lineup to help the team push over the top, as Big West Player of the Year selection Alexis Crimes returns for her senior season. Crimes finished second in the league in both hitting percentage (.377) and blocks (1.39 BPG). She is also joined by two returning All-Big West selections in senior Michaela Hasalikova and Nicole Vargas. Cal Poly enters the season as the preseason favorites, having taken the 2006 title and finished in the Top 25 to close out the year. UC Irving and UC Santa Barbara tied for third place with a total of 56 points. Cal State Northridge secured the fifth spot with 48 points, while Cal State Fullerton and Pacific share sixth place with 33 points. UC Davis, who begins its first season in the Big West Conference this year, claimed the eighth spot with 19 points and UC Riverside rounded out the nine-team field with 10 points. The 49ers begin the 2007 season with an action packed first weekend, as Long Beach State hosts San Diego to begin the year on Friday, August 24. The following day, women's volleyball welcomes Stanford to Long Beach to close out half of four out-of-conference home games for the 49ers. 1. Cal Poly (8) - 80 |
