2018 WCC PRESEASON POLL & ALL-WCC TEAM | 2018 WCC PRESEASON POLL VIDEO
In a poll of the West Coast Conference's 10 head coaches, LMU volleyball was predicted to finish third in the competitive WCC. The third-place selection is the best for LMU since earning a share of second in the 2004 preseason poll.
The WCC has sent at least two teams into the NCAA Tournament in every season since 2011, including four or more in three of those seven seasons. Since 2000, the WCC has sent three or more teams into the tournament 12 times, including a conference-record tying six in 2003 and 2012.
In conjunction with the preseason poll, the coaches also voted on the preseason All-WCC squad, as LMU earned a pair of selections. Juniors
Megan Rice and
Savannah Slattery each earned spots on the team.
Rice, who is expected to miss the 2018 campaign due to offseason surgery, was a first team All-WCC pick last year after transferring into the program. She played in all 29 matches for the Lions as a sophomore, finishing second on the squad in kills with 318 while serving up 25 aces and posting 57 blocks. In WCC play, she amassed 209 kills (3.17 per set) on 512 swings.
Slattery, a preseason All-WCC pick last year as well, garnered All-WCC honorable mention honors as a sophomore in 2017. A WCC All-Academic honorable mention pick, she posted 294 kills (2.72 per set) while taking a team-high 859 swings. The native of Malibu, Calif. served up 17 aces, posted 228 digs and recorded 43 total blocks.
After extending its own conference record in marching to its sixth consecutive NCAA Sweet-16 berth, BYU was picked as the favorite to win the 2018 WCC Volleyball Championship in the annual preseason poll. The Cougars have won or shared the five of the last six WCC titles, including three straight.
For the second straight year, BYU was a unanimous selection to win the conference title, earning 81 points and a maximum nine first place votes. After marching to its eighth straight NCAA Tournament last season and sharing the 2017 championship with the Cougars, San Diego collected 73 points and the remaining first place vote for second place in the poll.
LMU was tabbed third with 61 points, followed closely by PCH rival Pepperdine with 59. Gonzaga rounded out the top half of the predicted leaderboard with 46 votes.
BYU is one of two WCC programs appearing on the 2018 AVCA Preseason poll, checking in at No. 8. San Diego sits at No. 14. Last season both the Cougars (9) and the Toreros (13) were ranked in the final poll. BYU has cracked the top-15 in the last six final polls, while San Diego has appeared in the last two surveys.
Santa Clara snared 42 points for sixth place followed by Saint Mary's (35), Portland (26), Pacific (16) and San Francisco (11).
BYU dominated the preseason All-WCC team with five selections, led by leading vote-getter and 2017 Player of the Year Roni Jones-Perry. The 2017 AVCA All-American is the leading returning offensive player in the country after averaging 4.82 kills per set (569 total). Four programs placed at least one student-athlete on the preseason All-West Coast Conference Team. San Diego and LMU each placed a pair of preseason selections, while Pepperdine added one.
LMU volleyball is preparing to open the 2018 season against Rhode Island at 8 a.m. PT on August 24 as part of the Temple Invitational hosted by Temple. LMU first home match is scheduled for September 15 at Noon against Lamar, but fans can get a sneak peek at the 2018 squad on Friday as LMU hosts San Diego State in an exhibition scrimmage at 10 a.m.
2018 WCC Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll
| Team (First Place Vote) |
|
Pts. |
| 1. BYU |
(9) |
81 |
| 2. San Diego |
(1) |
73 |
| 3. Loyola Marymount |
|
61 |
| 4. Pepperdine |
|
59 |
| 5. Gonzaga |
|
46 |
| 6. Santa Clara |
|
42 |
| 7. Saint Mary's |
|
35 |
| 8. Portland |
|
26 |
| 9. Pacific |
|
16 |
| 10. San Francisco |
|
11 |
2018 All-WCC Preseason Volleyball Team
| Name |
Institution |
Yr. |
Pos. |
| Kaity Edwards |
San Diego |
Sr. |
MB |
| Kennedy Eschenberg |
BYU |
So. |
MB |
| Hannah Frohling |
Pepperdine |
Jr. |
OH |
| Lyndie Haddock-Eppich |
BYU |
Sr. |
S |
| Roni Jones-Perry |
BYU |
Sr. |
OH |
| Mary Lake |
BYU |
Jr. |
LIB |
| McKenna Miller |
BYU |
Jr. |
OH |
| Addie Picha |
San Diego |
Sr. |
MB |
| Megan Rice |
LMU |
Jr. |
OH |
| Savannah Slattery |
LMU |
Jr. |
OH |
