Pacific Lutheran Picked to Win NWC Volleyball
| NWC Volleyball Coaches' Pre-Season Poll: |
2002 records |
| School |
(1st) |
Pts. |
All |
NWC |
| 1. Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) |
(6) |
86 |
16-8 |
10-6 |
| 2. Linfield (Ore.) |
(1) |
63 |
14-8 |
8-8 |
| 3. Puget Sound (Wash.) |
|
62 |
22-8 |
12-4 |
| 4. Whitworth (Wash.) |
|
54 |
24-3 |
15-1 |
| 5. George Fox (Ore.) |
|
44 |
20-6 |
11-5 |
| 6. Willamette (Ore.) |
|
43 |
11-15 |
7-9 |
| 7. Whitman (Wash.) |
|
36 |
11-13 |
6-10 |
| 8. Pacific (Ore.) |
|
17 |
2-22 |
2-14 |
| 9. Lewis & Clark (Ore.) |
|
11 |
4-22 |
1-15 |
(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on 10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis).
A strong blend of talent and experience made Pacific Lutheran University the Northwest Conference coaches' favorite to win the 2003 volleyball championship. The Lutes are picked to jump to the top and unseat defending champion Whitworth College.
PLU picked up six of nine possible first place votes and 84 total poll points, more than 20 points ahead of Linfield College in the poll. The Lutes return five starters, including All-NWC OH Julie Locke and setter Jenne Heu-Weller. PLU finished 16-8 overall and 10-6 in the NWC last season.
Linfield College (63 points) edged University of Puget Sound (62 points) for second place in the poll. Both schools picked up one first place vote. Linfield finished fifth in the conference last season (14-8 overall and 8-8 in the NWC). Second Team All-NWC hitter Andrea Beck will lead the Wildcats.
Puget Sound (22-8, 12-4 NWC) was selected as an at-large team to the NCAA tournament last season after finishing as conference runners-up. The Loggers must replace their All-NWC tandem of Karen Elmgren and Adriane Ougendal.
Defending champion Whitworth College finished fourth in the poll with 54 points and one first place vote. The Pirates finished 24-3 last fall and advanced to the NCAA regional final. But Whitworth must replace all six starters, including two-time NWC Player of the Year Julie Weatherred.
George Fox University and Willamette University were bunched closely in 5th and 6th places in the poll. George Fox was fifth with 44 points, followed by Willamette (43). Both return a Second Team All-NWC player. Outside hitter Nicole Bostic returns for the Bruins while middle hitter Jenni Linden is back for the Bearcats.
Whitman College (36 points) finished seventh in the poll and will be led by Second Team All-NWC middle blocker Jill Huber.
Pacific University (17 points) and Lewis & Clark College (11) round out the poll in eighth and ninth places, respectively.
The season begins August 29th for Willamette, George Fox, Puget Sound and Whitworth. All five of the other schools will have begun by September 5th.