UCSB was picked sixth in the Big West Conference women’s volleyball coaches preseason poll.
The Gauchos enter the 2013 season with a new head coach. Nicole Lantagne-Welch, who comes to Santa Barbara from the University of Miami, takes over for the legendary Kathy Gregory. Gregory retired last spring after a 38-year coaching career at UCSB.
The nine conference coaches picked Hawaii as the team to beat this season. The Rainbow Wahine, the defending champions, were a unanimous favorite. They return four starters and their libero from a team that went 18-0 in the Big West and 27-3 overall. The last team to go through the conference season with an unbeaten record was UCSB in 2002.
Long Beach State, which also has four starters and its libero returning, was picked second in the poll. Cal State Northridge returns its entire starting lineup and is tabbed by the coaches as the third choice.
UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCSB, Cal State Fullerton, Cal Poly and UC Riverside round out the poll.
UCSB returns its top two hitters, Leah Sully and Katey Thompson, from a team that went 16-17 and 9-9 in the Big West.
Lantagne-Welch’s Gauchos start their season off with a bang as they host perennial powerhouse Stanford at the Thunderdome on Friday, Aug. 30, at noon. The Cardinal returns all its starters from last year’s 30-4 team. Among them is former Dos Pueblos star and first-team All-American Carly Wopat.
2013 Big West Women’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
Hawaii (9) – 81 pts.
Long Beach State – 72
Cal State Northridge – 59
UC Davis – 43
UC Irvine – 40
UC Santa Barbara – 36
Cal State Fullerton – 35
Cal Poly – 28
UC Riverside – 11
( ) Denotes first place votes
