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2012 NWC Volleyball Coaches' Pre-Season
Poll:
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2011 records
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School
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(1st)
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Pts.
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All
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NWC
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1. Pacific Lutheran (Wash.)
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(5)
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65
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21-6
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13-3
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2. Whitworth (Wash.)
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(2)
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54
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19-7
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14-2
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3. Puget Sound (Wash.)
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(1)
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50
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18-6
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10-6
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4. Lewis & Clark (Ore.)
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(1)
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44
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13-13
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9-7
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5. Linfield (Ore.)
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35
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11-14
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6-10
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6. George Fox (Ore.)
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30
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10-15
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5-11
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7. Pacific (Ore.)
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24
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13-12
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7-9
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8. Willamette (Ore.)
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21
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8-17
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5-11
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9. Whitman (Wash.)
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10
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4-18
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3-13
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(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on
9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches cannot vote for their own
team)
Coming off of the sixth 21-victory season in the past seven
years, the Pacific Lutheran volleyball team has been picked to be
NWC champions, according to the 2012 poll of league head
coaches.
The Lutes received five out of nine first place votes and 65
total points in the poll. Sophomore setter Samantha North, a
2011 First Team All-NWC selection, returns to lead Pacific
Lutheran. Bethany Huston (MB) and Blair Bjorkman (Lib), who
both received honorable mention recognition, will join her on the
quest to return to the NCAA postseason tournament after the Lutes
lost in the first round a season ago.
Whitworth (54 points) edged out Puget Sound (50 points) for
second place. The Pirates, who had two first place votes,
fell in five sets at the NCAA first round last season. They
welcome back 2011 Coach of the Year Steve Rupe but lose Player of
the Year Kaimi Rocha. The Loggers, who received one first
place vote, will look to junior outside hitter Jackie Harvey to
lead the way. She was a Second Team All-NWC selection in
2011.
Lewis & Clark picked up the final first place vote to finish
with a total of 44 points. The Pioneers will look to senior
setter Leia Matsunaga, who led the team in assists, for
leadership.
Linfield and George Fox were fifth and sixth with 35 points and
30 points, respectively. The Wildcats lost First Team All-NWC
Samantha Lau, but welcome back sophomore outside hitter Kailana
Ritte-Camara. The Bruins will have plenty of experience as
they return most of their 2011 roster, after losing only two
seniors to graduation.
Pacific is seventh in the poll with 24 points. Second Team
All-NWC senior Jade Thompson will return to anchor the Boxers
defensively. Pacific will be playing under first year head
coach Kip Yoshimura.
Willamette received 21 points to put them in eighth place.
The Bearcats attack will be lead by their two honorable mention
All-NWC middle hitters, Madisyn Leenstra and Shannon Waltz.
Whitman is ninth in the poll with 10 points. Junior
Jillian Davis (OH) earned Second Team All-NWC last season.
The 2012 season will get underway on August 31st.