Pacific Lutheran and Linfield Top NWC Poll
| NWC Volleyball Coaches' Pre-Season Poll: |
2006 records |
| School |
(1st) |
Pts. |
All |
NWC |
| 1. Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) |
(3) |
75 |
20-7 |
14-2 |
| 2. Linfield (Ore.) |
(4) |
73 |
22-3 |
14-2 |
| 3. Puget Sound (Wash.) |
(1) |
67 |
16-7 |
11-5 |
| 4. Whitman (Wash.) |
(1) |
52 |
14-10 |
10-6 |
| 5. Whitworth (Wash.) |
|
48 |
7-20 |
6-10 |
| 6. George Fox (Ore.) |
|
38 |
10-17 |
6-10 |
| 7. Pacific (Ore.) |
|
27 |
9-17 |
6-10 |
| 8. Lewis & Clark (Ore.) |
|
21 |
7-19 |
5-11 |
| 9. Willamette (Ore.) |
|
14 |
4-22 |
0-16 |
(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on 10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis).
SPOKANE, Wash. -- Pacific Lutheran University and Linfield College, Northwest Conference co-champions in 2006, top the 2007 NWC coaches preseason poll. PLU totaled 75 points to 73 for Linfield, but the Wildcats had four first place votes to three for the Lutes.
PLU, which finished 22-3 overall and 14-2 in the NWC last fall, will be led by All-Northwest Conference setter Gina DiMaggio but also must overcome the graduation of 2006 NWC Player of the Year Katie McGinn. Megan Kosel and Stacie Matz also return for the Lutes.
Linfield finished 20-7 last season and graduated both of its all-conference players. But honorable mention honorees Katelyn Baker and Hannah Veley return for the Wildcats.
The University of Puget Sound picked up one first place vote and 67 points in the poll to come in right behind the leaders. The Loggers welcome back All-NWC hitter Rachel Gross and All-NWC middle Monica Groves.
Whitman College is fourth in the poll with 52 points, and also picked up the final first place vote. The Missionaries graduated all-conference honoree Kate Borsato, but welcome back all-league middle Rosa Brey.
Whitworth College was four points behind Whitman with 48 points. Second Team All-NWC libero Cassie Moore is back for the Pirates. George Fox University (38 points) followed Whitworth in the poll. The Bruins' all-star middle Elizabeth Anderson is back to lead GFU.
Pacific University (27 points) is eighth in the poll and will be led by all-around star Anela Iseke. Lewis & Clark College (21 points) and Willamette University (14 points) are eighth and ninth in the poll, respectively. All-NWC middle Sara Kettler returns for L&C, while Mary Butler returns for the Bearcats.
The season begins August 31st.